The Most Stressful Time of the Year: How to Stay Calm During the Holidays

“I work extremely hard to stay positive and happy, but I get anxious, too, just like everyone.” Rachel Platten

High pressure, end-of-the-year deadlines. A small army of blinking and buzzing devices, all demanding your attention, right now. A feeling of anxiety has been a shared human experience for centuries, but finding a sense of inner calm is particularly challenging in the modern age.

Considering both the biological fact of anxiety and the stressful times we live in, it’s no wonder that, according to the ADAA (Anxiety and Depression Association of America), anxiety disorders affect 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or approximately 18% of the population every year.

Unfortunately, although anxiety is treatable, less than half of those with an anxiety disorder are seeking treatment, and that’s only including those whose anxiety rises to the level of a diagnosable disorder. We’d all be hard pressed to name someone in our lives, including ourselves, who’s not seeking relief from anxiety on some level, and that’s especially true during the holiday season, when Google searches for “stress relief” spike annually in December.

Google Searches for "Stress Relief" Over the Last 5 Years

It’s obvious that we’re all in need of some calm this time of the year, so we read some of the leading literature and pooled our own community for some tips and strategies for floating through this holiday season on calmer waters.

1. Acceptance: It’s completely normal to feel at least some sense of stress and anxiety this time of year. You can’t force yourself to feel calm just because it’s the holidays and acknowledging that, instead of burying your emotions, is a powerful first step.
   
   
2. Talk It Out: One of the hardest things about anxiety is that it’s isolating, and then that isolation can lead to more anxiety. Reach out to those in your life who can offer support can be hugely helpful - chances are, they’re looking for some support too.
   
   
3. Breathe, Just Breathe: Regular meditation is a proven way to decrease stress, but you don’t need an hour of meditation a day to get some benefit. Taking a moment to focus on your breath and reconnect with your body in the present moment can happen anytime, even in line at a crowded mall.
   
   
4. Keep Your Wellness Routines: From diet to exercise to sleep and much more, it’s so easy to get knocked off your normal routines during the holidays. Strive to maintain the wellness routines that work for you year round.
   
   
5. Consider CBD: As part of the healthy and holistic lifestyle we touched on above, CBD is becoming an increasingly popular tool for helping relieve anxiety because it activates your body’s existing self-regulation system. In addition, Lucent’s special Calm blend also includes myrcene, a natural compound that shows promise in helping to decrease anxiety.

The sheer number of people with anxiety can itself be overwhelming, but ultimately, it’s a good thing to know how widespread the search for relief is. It means that those who feel anxious aren’t broken, aren’t unusual - they’re merely human, like us all. And that also means that we can lean on each other for tips and strategies.

We shared some of our favorite ways to find calm, what are yours?