20 Dec Ways to Avoid Holiday Stress

The holiday season brings both great joy and added stress to manage. Added chores of shopping, entertaining and family obligations can take a heavy toll on the best disposition. Not only does stress associated with the holidays have an impact on your well being psychologically, it can also be a dangerous time of year associated with increased fires, car accidents and other calamities. While insurance is a necessity of life and can create peace of mind that is highly valued, it is always better when there is no need to use it.

1. Set a realistic spending budget for entertaining and gifts.

2. Take a break and do something for yourself to keep stress levels down. Get a massage. Take a walk down the street and look at holiday lights.

3. Give yourself permission to say “no” on occasion to keep from adding to your stress levels. Scheduling too many activities is tempting but should be avoided.

4. Drive with extra care paying special attention to speed limits and appointing a designated driver when appropriate. As tempting as it can be to overindulge at holiday parties, seasonal car crash statistics support increased accidents and fatalities associated with high risk behaviors like drinking too much and speeding. According to a study posted on the Health Day website, fatal car crashes in Alabama alone increased by 50 during the week of Thanksgiving. Also noteworthy was the fact that pedestrian deaths rose an estimated 11 percent in that same week.

5. Take extra precautions to guard against fires. Flammable Christmas trees and candles cause many fires during the holiday season. More than 400 people in the U.S die each year resulting from fires during the holiday season. Keeping live tress watered and away from fire hazards is key for safety. Double checking that all candles have been blown out before going to bed is another recommended safety practice, since this is commonly blamed for fires starting during the holiday season.

We hope these tips contribute to a very happy and safe holiday season.

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