Coping with Holiday Blues: Self-Care Tips for Christmas

The holidays are times of gathering, reflection, and joy…but they can also be times of grief and sadness for many.

Dr. Theresa was LIVE on YouTube on December 12, 2024 to share some of her own story of grief during the holidays as well as some self-care reminders that we all need to help us cope with the holiday blues.

Watch the full recording to hear her story and keep reading below for some reminders on how to nourish yourself during this holiday season.

#1. Be with your feelings

You may need to be still, you may need to channel some energy into a workout, or you may be someone who likes to walk when processing difficult emotions. Whatever you method, this holiday season, try to intentionally create the space for your body and mind to process your emotions rather than avoiding or ignoring them.

While it can be easy to cope with grief through excessive drinking or eating during the holidays, you may find that your mental health is better served simply by carving out time to acknowledge the complexities of what you’re feeling.

#2. Double down on self care and rest

With daylight at its lowest hours all year, the holiday season is the perfect time to prioritize sleep. Sleep will not only improve your daily energy, but it will also affect your mood, how well you cope with the holiday blues, and how you show up for others during the day. Getting 7-9 hours of high quality sleep will also affect how you’re making food choices and how much energy you have available for other self-care modalities like exercise. Try a wind down routine before bed and get lots of outdoor light during the day to help with restful sleep at night.

#3. Nourish your body with proper food

Some of the most exciting research of the past decade is about how what’s going on in your gut impacts your experience of life…from depression, to mood, to inflammation, the gut is key to both the root cause and the solution to many of our modern woes.  If the holidays tend to be blue for you, take this time to really nourish your body with the nutrients it needs to heal and restore.  In a season when sugar is everywhere, take a moment to be mindful of how it makes you feel: oftentimes, too much sugar can upset your gut, and in turn, disrupt your mood. Some easy tips for nourishing your body include: increasing protein intake, drinking more water, and including healthy fats and produce with your meals.

#4. Nourish your body with movement

Remember to support your mental health with movement. Not limited to just structured exercise, movement of ALL kinds is helpful for decreasing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. Take this time to choose movement that gets you excited or happy: maybe it’s trying ice skating, taking a walk through the snow, or self-soothing with some yoga.  Add in some outdoor recreation in natural areas to boost the mental health benefits of movement!

#5. Practice self compassion and compassion for others

If you have challenging relationships with family members, it can be helpful to remind yourself compassionately that not everybody has had the same life experiences or learned the same lessons as you. And you can also look at yourself through a lens of compassion if you need to say “no” to a conversation topic or a gathering of people. Seek out those who build you up, and practice compassion for those who tear down others.

#6. Practice meditation or mindfulness

Whether or not you are having a blue holiday, a meditation or mindfulness practice can be a powerful way to recenter. It is a way to train your body and mind to access stillness, quiet, and calm. Dr. T finds that during her meditations, she is able to feel both love for self and closeness to loved ones that have passed as she sits in meditation.  As little as 5-10 minutes/day meditating can make a difference.

Dr. T is challenging herself to be present to what’s in front of her for 80% of the time this holiday. Choose a number that feels right for you. That may involve reducing tech use. But the benefits to your happiness and fulfillment are worth it.

Bottom Line: It’s not helpful to try escaping blues of the holiday. The more you allow yourself to be with the blues of Christmas, and the more you focus on self-care, the easier you’ll be able to integrate grief and move through this time of year.

How to dive deeper?

At Movement Rx, we are in the business of creating teams that lead and work better from a place of wellbeing. Because if you don’t make time for your wellbeing now, you’ll have to make time for disease later. Let us help your team build and leverage their well-being.

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