TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The holiday season, traditionally associated with happiness and joy, also brings about a considerable amount of stress. According to a survey by the American Psychological Association, nine in ten Americans report feeling increased stress during this time of the year. KGUN 9's Bri Pacelli sat down with local experts to discuss effective strategies for managing holiday stress.
Dr. Esther Sternberg from the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson emphasized that while stress may not vanish, it can be managed effectively.
"You need your stress response to keep you focused, to give you the energy to fight or flee, but to give you the energy to accomplish the tasks at hand," explained Sternberg.
Failure to manage stress can lead to more serious health problems, Sternberg cautioned. "The problem is if you have too many stresses, and they accumulate for too long, that’s when you get sick."
The Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine suggests seven methods to help manage stress: sleep, resilience, movement, environment, relationships, spirituality, and nutrition.
Another recommended way to cope with holiday stress is by calling a warm line. Hope Incorporated offers a free support line for individuals feeling overwhelmed during the holidays.
"During the holidays, we definitely see an increase in emotional needs—people experiencing loneliness, contemplating relapse on substance abuse, and a wide variety of mental health concerns," said Kelly Lillard, Warm Line Manager at Hope Incorporated.
The Warm Line experiences a spike in new callers seeking community support and someone to talk to during the holiday season.
You can call the Hope Warm Line at:
(520) 770-9909
or
(844) 733-9912
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