Why you feel so anxious and stressed during the holidays, even though you’re probably just sitting around, watching TV and eating

Vacation stress

The winter holiday season can take a toll on health. Financial pressure increases, and daily routines are disrupted. Add to that the stress of travel, plus a host of difficult family dynamics, and it’s no surprise that emotional health takes a dip during the holiday season.

Quality rest and leisure periods can relieve these stressors and promote recovery and well-being. They can also help reduce stress and prolong positive feelings as people return to work.

Effective rest comes in many forms, from going for a walk to socializing, listening to music or pursuing creative hobbies. These activities may seem like distractions, but they serve important mental health functions.

For example, research has found that walking in nature leads to decreased activity in the area of ​​the brain associated with sadness and rumination. Walking in nature is also associated with reduced anxiety and stress.

Other studies have shown that activities such as playing the piano or practicing calligraphy significantly reduce cortisol, the stress hormone. In fact, some promising interventions for treating depression include engaging in enjoyable leisure activities.

Not all idle time is restorative

So why is it so difficult for you to have a good rest during the holidays?

One of the strongest findings by psychologists and researchers who study leisure time is that the effectiveness of breaks depends on how satisfied the individual feels. This may seem obvious, but people often spend their free time doing unsatisfying things.

For example, a famous 2002 study of how people spend their time found that the most common form of entertainment was watching television. But participants also rated TV time as the least enjoyable activity. Those who watched more than four hours of television per day rated it as less enjoyable than those who watched less than two hours per day.

A few years ago, my colleagues and I collected data from college students and found that students reported that they turned to unnecessary distractions, such as social media, at the end of the day, but that it usually did not leave them feeling rejuvenated or re-energized. Although this study was specifically for college students, when I presented the results to the larger research team, one of my collaborators said, “It really makes you think about yourself, doesn’t it?” There were silent gestures around the room.

Plan a good rest

To combat the pitfall of poor rest cycles, science suggests planning for active rest and enjoyable activities, and implementing those plans. A large body of research shows that designing, scheduling, and participating in enjoyable activities is effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.

For the holiday season, this might mean following an afternoon of shopping with a recovery period of reading a book in a quiet space, or going for a walk after opening gifts instead of immediately shifting into cleaning mode. By following a schedule, not a mood, research suggests people can break cycles of lack of rest and inactivity and achieve greater recovery and well-being.

Wrestling with guilt

Even with perfectly planned and executed breaks, guilt can loom large. Leisure guilt is a psychological construct that includes feelings of distress about spending time doing comfortable, not productive, things. It can reduce the enjoyment of leisure time, undermining one of the mechanisms linking rest to well-being.

During the holidays, this problem may become more noticeable. The season brings changes in daily routines, daylight levels, temperature, and diets. All these transformations can drain people’s energy levels. High expectations during the holidays may make guilt a greater threat to comfort.

If the answer to poor quality rest periods is planned active rest periods, what is the answer to feelings of guilt?

Lower expectations, greater comfort and acceptance

Research on leisure guilt is still in its infancy, but my own struggles have shown me some ways to combat the pressure to be productive in every spare minute. Here are some tips for fighting the misconception that rest is just laziness in disguise, during the holidays and beyond.

First, I work on convincing myself and my family to lower expectations about our seasonal activities. Not every baked cookie needs to be individually frosted and decorated, and not every gift needs to be wrapped with a perfect bow. By agreeing to lower our expectations, we release the extraneous work and guilt of feeling like there is more to be done.

Second, I’ve found that relaxing activities that provide a strong sense of immersion — like playing video games, going for walks, and playing with my young nieces and nephews — are much more restorative than scrolling on my phone or watching TV on the couch. These diversions require my full attention and keep me from thinking about things like a full email inbox or unfinished chores.

Finally, when I feel guilty during a break, I accept the feeling and try to move on. During highly stressful situations, accepting negative emotions rather than avoiding them can reduce symptoms of depression.

Humans need breaks from rest during the holidays and beyond, but it doesn’t always come easily or naturally to everyone. With small adjustments and intentional actions, good rest can be within reach this holiday season.

Stacy Shaw, Assistant Professor of Social Science and policy Studies, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.