Thanksgiving is a cherished holiday, a time to gather with loved ones, express gratitude, and indulge in delightful feasts. However, amidst the festivities, it’s essential to prioritize your mental health. For many, this period can evoke stress, triggering anxiety or depression. Balancing social obligations, managing expectations, and handling various emotions may become overwhelming. Here are some strategies to safeguard your mental well-being and fully relish the Thanksgiving experience.

For people who are suffering from ADHD, it is important to follow your daily routine. Maintaining a daily routine is also vital if you have other mental health conditions such as OCD, anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. In The Lancet Psychiatry, a study shows that making a daily routine and following it regularly improves your sleep patterns, reduces emotional stress, and promotes overall mental health. During the holidays, it is more likely that you may have many opportunities to get out of your routine but try to stick to your routine. Don’t skip your medicine and stick to your medication schedule if you take it daily, even during the holidays.

Exercise has lots of benefits; most importantly, it improves your mood by reducing stress. Below are a few simple exercises to follow.

• Go for a walk.
• Take a morning hike.
• Walk your dog.
• Follow an online exercise program.

According to experts, time spent in nature improves your mood.

Your mental health is mostly affected by stress. Financial stress is no exception. Thanksgiving can increase your financial stress. Ideas of unexpected purchases and expenses can raise stress levels. To avoid this, plan a thanksgiving décor and a meals budget. Once you’ve made a list of your budget, stick with it. If you plan to do some holiday shopping after thanksgiving, include it in your budget.

When planning, decorating and cleaning for thanksgiving, you may not have enough time for your sleep. The busyness and excitement of the day however should not stop you from getting enough sleep. Running without getting enough sleep can affect your mental and physical health. In particular, research has shown that sleep deprivation is linked to increased insomnia rates and irritability. To maintain mental and physical health, you must sleep for 7-9 hours in a dark and cool room. Also, 1-2 hours before bed, avoid using any blue light (phone, TV, etc.)

During thanksgiving, you may find yourself in a lot of stressful situations. It is very important that you manage your stress with healthy stress management techniques. For example, you can try to read a relaxing book, get some fresh air, meditate, exercise or practice deep breathing. Instead of relying on unhealthy things, protect your mental health by relying on healthy stress management techniques.

Restore 360 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is here to help you manage your mental health – especially during the holidays. Our licensed therapists can help you prepare for significant events by showing you the tools that may help you when life gets stressful. We are here to help you. Contact us at (484) 373 2710 today.