"Five Ways to Manage Your Stress During the Holidays" -Anna Harstedt
According to a study, 69 percent of Americans are feeling stressed during the holidays. For nearly 45 percent, the stress is so bad that they would rather prefer to skip holidays like Christmas. It’s important to talk about the issue and there are adjustments you can make in order to bring more joy to the holidays. “Christmas is a time of high expectations when achieving perfection seems important… the perfect gift, the perfect party, the perfect family reunion, the perfect dress,” said Elizabeth Ochoa, PhD, chief psychologist at Mount Sinai Beth Israel. “When unrealistic expectations and numerous demands fail to be met, and then stress peaks,” she added. It’s important to remember that the holidays don’t have to be perfect to be joyful.
— Elizabeth Ochoa, PhD, Assistant Professor, Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Chief Psychologist, Mount Sinai Beth Israel