How to be happier and less stressed during the holidays, says psychologist
Americans are more worried about the holidays this year, according to a report from the American Psychiatric Association Healthy Minds Survey.
Forty-one percent of U.S. adults say they expect more stress related to the holidays this year than last year; this rate was 28% in 2024 and 29% in 2023. They list a variety of reasons, including missing someone in their life, dealing with the cost of holiday gifts, dealing with difficult family dynamics, and being lonely.
If you’re stressed this time of year, there are tactics you can try to make your holiday more enjoyable. Here’s what Sabrina RomanoffNew York-based psychologist and relationship expert for dating app highrecommends.
Try ‘muting accounts on social media that make you feel really bad’
Americans spend too much time on social media. According to research, 37 percent of US adults visit Facebook several times a day. Pew Research Center.
With so much time spent looking into other people’s lives, it’s easy to compare what your vacation looks like to theirs.
Making this season more enjoyable “might mean silencing the accounts on social media that make you feel really bad, that make you feel like you’re not good enough,” says Romanoff. You can block them or unfollow them completely.
In December, as at any other time of the year, “It’s really important to be intentional about what you see and consume,” she says, “because it’s going to change the lens through which you view your own life.”
Choose to participate in anything that will ‘make your life more comfortable’
If you are worried about some of the people you will spend time with this season, you can shape your experience accordingly.
This could mean: “I won’t feel comfortable when Aunt Karen asks uncomfortable questions,” says Romanoff. “I’ll let the silence happen.” This may also mean giving yourself a break and going to another room for a few minutes during meetings that feel overwhelming.
This might even mean deciding if there are specific celebrations you’ll be attending. skipping it altogether and instead spending get-togethers with your chosen family.
After all, making this time of year happier and less stressful “means actually showing up in ways that make your life more comfortable for you,” she says.
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