Many people tend to get stressed as soon as the holiday season hits. The stress people endure can manifest into symptoms that no one wants at time that’s meant to be spent with loved ones.

From November to January, society is pressured into making sure they have all their holiday shopping done, have enough money to do so, and have enough time to finish it come time for Christmas. All this gift giving and seeing what others want can leave people feeling frustrated, angry, or nervous.

“Stress is the feeling of emotional or physical stress… and is your body’s reaction to a challenge or demand,” said the trusted health information website, Medline Plus. 

The stress can lead to anxiety, leaving people still stressed even after the thing that’s causing them to stress is gone. Why are we so unhappy at what’s supposed to be the jolliest time of the year? 

“Sixty-two percent of respondents described their stress level as ‘very or somewhat’ elevated during the holidays, while only 10 percent reported no stress during the season,” said a 2015 survey conducted by Healthline, a consumer health information site based in San Francisco, California. 

To manage stress this holiday and avoid anything that will lead to stress, try some of these things. Worrying about the political arguments that family will get into is not worth the stress, so just leave the table for a bit.

“[Some] stress-coping ‘tools’ that psychologists say can help you combat stress [are] …1. Problem focused, 2. Appraisal focused, and 3. Emotion focused,” said All One Health, a website to help improve health.

So this holiday season try to relieve oneself of the stress and try to manage it in order to do what’s really important, spending time with loved ones.

“These skills, like a painter’s tarp, protect you and help manage how you feel about the stress,” said All One Health. “This is where self-care comes in. Be sure that you get enough sleep, exercise, healthy nutrition, and spiritual support during the holiday season.”