HealthyLife Articles

Tag: Mental, Emotional, & Social Wellness

4 Ways To Combat Holiday Stress

WELL-BEING

Nearly 80 percent of people are stressed during the holidays, according to the American Psychological Association. To help keep stress from getting the best of you, try these tips:

Be selective about activities

It’s the time of year for office parties and traditions spent with family and friends. Instead of trying to do it all, choose just a few activities that you know you can handle – and say “no” to the rest. If you’re worried about offending someone, offer to see them another time, such as a lunch date in January.

Remember to take time for yourself

Whether it’s a walk outside, sitting quietly with a favorite book, or a warm bath, you need time to recharge. If you don’t care for your own mental well-being, you may feel more stressed and overwhelmed.

Get plenty of rest

Although you might be tempted to stay up late wrapping gifts or cleaning your house, don’t. Instead, aim to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep. Getting enough sleep helps you to focus and deal with stressful situations.

Have a plan

If you are hosting the family holiday dinner, make a schedule. Plan house cleaning tasks over several days or a week. Make a grocery list and plan to shop a couple of days in advance. Wrap gifts as you buy them, so you’re not trying to wrap everything in one night.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Get Social For Stress Relief

SUCCESS OVER STRESS

Talking to others is a great way to cope with stress. On the flip side, feeling isolated or alone can increase stress levels. Seek out social support to help you deal with life’s challenges. If you’re not sure where to start, try these tips:

*Reach out to others.Make an effort to connect with people. Say “yes” when you get invited to a social gathering. Offer to help someone when they need it. Over time, you may find that your social connections have greatly increased because of your efforts.

*Find value in lots of people.You may find that neighbors, co-workers and family members all have positive roles to play in your life. You can have multiple friends who all have different things to offer.

*Get face to face when you can.It’s good to find time to sit down with friends and family. Talking to someone in person may help you feel more calm and connected.

*Get involved.Find a class or group that offers things you enjoy. This is a great way to connect with people who share the same interests.

Aiming for a stress-free life?

Trying to achieve a life without any stress isn’t realistic. It may even make you more stressed when you don’t succeed! Instead, look for healthy ways to cope with challenges.

Meditation, prayer, deep breathing and exercise can help you change how you react to stress. This can have a positive effect on your physical and mental health. Not all stress is bad for you if you know how to deal with it. In fact, learning to cope with stress can make you a healthier person.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Overcome Perfectionism

SUCCESS OVER STRESS

“Anything worth doing is worth doing well.”

“Practice makes perfect.”

“Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”

“Failure is not an option.”

In today’s perfection-obsessed culture, these are the maxims we live by. Yet the damage they cause can be stifling.

Perfectionism, for some people, is just a preference for order, or a drive to be the best they can be, but it is a choice, says Ann W. Smith, author of Overcoming Perfectionism: Finding the Key to Balance & Self-Acceptance and a relationship expert.

“I see two types of perfectionists. The overt perfectionist is easy to see, they are orderly, organized and a little uptight. They may be critical of others and hard to please. Some overt perfectionists are focused on social standards and how others should be,” says Smith.

“The covert perfectionist does not appear perfect in many areas of life but has a mental committee of critics who pressure them to be better; very self-critical and tends to make comparisons to others and does not measure up. They are especially challenged by relationships where they do not feel adequate or good enough. Coverts tend to be more self-oriented, concerned about their own performance and less about others.”

Perfectionism has been linked to anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide, lower relationship satisfaction, and fear of intimacy.

Smith outlines how the pattern can be changed: “I see it as a 3-stage process. First they need to see and evaluate the pitfalls of it and how it began. If it is not a problem, it doesn’t need to change. If it is causing problems or is not a reflection of your values, it is important to make changes. Second is what I call ‘Becoming Me’ where a perfectionist looks closely at who they really are. It is important to be real and slowly practice letting others see who you are. The third step is to let go of expectations and forgive yourself for past mistakes. It is a time to begin accepting yourself and others as is.”

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
5 Ways To Change Habits

WELL-BEING

Our habits influence our health in many ways. You might have habits that help you stay healthy, such as taking a walk every day. Or you might have some habits you want to change, such as smoking or eating too much sugar.

Changing a habit takes time and effort, but you can do it. These tips will help you stay on track as you work toward healthy change:

1.Change only one thing at time.Trying to overhaul many parts of your life is hard. It can cause stress and make you worry about failure. Don’t change too many things at once.

2.Know why you’re making the change.If you don’t have a good reason, it can be hard to stay motivated. Keep a reason (or two) in mind as you work toward change. For instance, maybe you want to be able to run in a race. Or perhaps you want to lose weight so you can feel healthier or manage a health problem.

3.Get the support or skills you need.If you need help to quit smoking, your doctor can help you find tools to help. If you need help with changing eating habits, ask your doctor about nutrition help. Look for community resources and support groups.

4.Expect setbacks.Nearly everyone has setbacks when they try to change a habit. This is normal. When this happens, remember why you’re making the change. Then put the setback behind you and start again.

5.Avoid tempting situations.Certain things in your immediate environment can make you want to go back to your old habits. Figure out what these things are, and stay away from them. If you know you have trouble with “all you can eat” restaurants, don’t go to them. If you’re trying to quit smoking, avoid situations that make you crave cigarettes.

Finally, make sure your goal is realistic.

Healthy goals should be SMART:

* Specific: Avoid vague statements like, “eat healthier.”

* Measurable: Track milestones and know when you have met them.

* Action-oriented: Commit to your change and take action to meet it.

* Realistic: Avoid lofty, difficult changes.

* Time-based: Give yourself a deadline to meet certain steps toward your goal.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
5 Simple Ways To Deal With Feeling Crazed

SUCCESS OVER STRESS

When it comes to dealing with deep inner emotions, there is a method you can really use to change, according to Dr. Claudia Sheftel-Luiz, a psychoanalyst and author of Where’s My Sanity? Stories that Help. It starts with 5 simple steps.

1. Look inward.

You don’t have to get stranded in a no-man’s land, replete with endless complaining that alienates everyone around you, if you look inward. Nor do you have to get trapped thinking, over and over, about how bad you feel or how hard and tough life is. Looking inward means trusting that there’s something about yourself that you don’t know yet.

2. Stick with it.

Don’t just take a quick peek inside yourself, freak out, and leave. You have to hang out with your own thoughts for a while, in search of something you don’t yet know about yourself. Simply put, there is just no way that you can know everything that’s going on in your own mind at any one time. If you’ve ever scratched your head and wondered why you can’t change, that’s why: you don’t know your whole story yet.

3. Find someone to listen.

A good sounding board keeps you moving forward, looking for the thoughts, ideas, and feelings inside yourself that you don’t know yet. Some people find that they can use a yoga mat, open valley or solitary journey to open up to themselves in a new way. But better yet, find a real live person to talk to. Someone who won’t judge you, who can tolerate everything you feel, and who can ask you questions. Someone to hear you.

4. Find strength in being heard.

Thoughts and feelings that are hidden from our conscious day-to-day life are generally strange. Our hidden stories keep us from moving forward, and they stay hidden because they are so quirky, irrational, negative, and strange. So keep working on being heard, and deeply understood, and the rest should follow.

5. Don’t bring your family into this.

As much as your partner, you parents, and your best friend (who is like family) love you and want the best for you, they are probably the worst people to listen to your emotions. Find a clergyperson, a new best friend, or a therapist who knows how to ask really good questions. This is not about more solving. It’s about evolving.

Inward journeys, where we connect to unseen parts of ourselves and seek to be heard rather than improved, are deeply rich and unforgettable. Those emotional “aha” moments, when we finally land on what has been holding us back from changing a small habit or realizing a large dream, change us naturally and eternally.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Go On An Email Diet

SUCCESS OVER STRESS

Each day, 55 billion emails are written. How many of those do you receive? Email can be extremely useful for work and socializing but managing the never-ending electronic stream can cause anxiety and even legal problems and financial risk. “It has taken over our professional lives in many ways,” said Marty Siegel, associate dean of the Indiana University School of Informatics and author of The E-Mail Diet Book. “That’s really the danger, that we’re spending so much time just reacting to the next email message rather than focusing on what’s most important to do to move our work goals forward.”

Siegel offers these tips to help you shed unwanted emails and take control of your emailing habits:

* Don’t respond to everything right away. Allocate certain times during the day to look at email and stick with the plan. “Some people think it’s only polite to respond to email immediately, or they need to instantly respond to appear on top of things,” Siegel said. “This is where the addiction begins.”

* Use spam filters. Spam filters come with most email programs and services. If used, they can help prevent unwanted emails and potentially dangerous phishing attempts from clogging inboxes and claiming our attention.

* Have at least two email accounts. He recommends having one email account for work and another for personal use. This will help reduce spam on the work account if this account is never disclosed during online shopping or in other instances when email addresses are requested.

* Read it or move it. “There’s something incredibly powerful about getting down to the point where you have no messages in your inbox,” Siegel said. He suggests creating an “unread messages” folder in your email program. Move most of your email into it. Then, go through the remaining emails in the inbox and respond or delete them.

* No “thanks.” Don’t send needless email responses. Like just saying “thanks” for an email. It just adds to other people’s email problems.

* Never send email when angry. “That’s the worst thing you can do,” Siegel said. Email sent in anger can be misread, sound sarcastic or rude and might be intentionally mean. This can create bigger problems by providing something in writing that can be recorded and end up in court. If you have to respond, suggest a live meeting so nothing is in writing, or send yourself a draft of the email first and then read it 24 hours later. “Often when you look at these, you think, ‘This is so silly,’ and you delete it,” Siegel said.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Push Negative Thoughts Away

SUCCESS OVER STRESS

The brain is a busy organ. It helps to regulate the body’s functions, and it helps you manage your thoughts and emotions. Whether you’re concentrating on a project, recalling a past event, or focusing on what to do next, your mind has a powerful influence on how you feel about yourself.

Negative thoughts in your head can have a dramatic impact on your life. Thoughts like “I can’t do this” or “I’m stupid” can affect your self-esteem and increase stress levels.

Thankfully, you can re-train yourself to ignore negative thoughts and start thinking more positively. The American Heart Association says this can help you cope with difficulties and stressful situations as they arise.

Here’s how to do it:

* Practice positive self-talk every day. It may feel awkward at first, but over time, it will become more natural.

* When you make a mistake, don’t think, “I’m a failure” or “I’m not good enough.” Tell yourself, “It’s okay. We all make mistakes. I can learn from this.”

* When you’re having a bad day, don’t think, “Everything is going wrong. I can’t handle it.” Tell yourself, “I can do this. I’ll take it one step at a time.”

* Replace more negative thoughts with positive ones each day, and you may start to feel less stress overall.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
988 Crisis Lifeline

SUCCESS OVER STRESS

In response to the changing mental health climate, the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act designated 988 as the new crisis and suicide hotline. This important step forward makes help available 24/7 to anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts, emotional distress, or a substance use crisis.

* You can call or text 988 anytime day or night and reach a live person.

* If you have access to a computer, a live chat service is available at988lifeline.org/chat

* Anyone can call 988, whether you are experiencing a crisis yourself or you call on behalf of a loved one.

* 988 connects you with a trained counselor at a local call center who can listen, understand, and provide immediate support.

* A 988-trained counselor can recommend additional local resources for ongoing support.

* Dialing 988 is free and confidential. You do not have to provide any personal information.

* Spanish language service and interpreting services for an additional 250 languages are available.

* Veterans who call 988 can press 1 to be connected to the Veterans Crisis Lifeline.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
9 Easy Ways To Manage Stress

SUCCESS OVER STRESS

Don’t let stress take over your day! Try to do one (or a few!) of these things to start feeling better:

1.Connect with friends:Meeting up with other people can help reduce symptoms of stress and increase feelings of happiness.

2.Meditation:Meditation, such as mindfulness, is a proven way to help reduce stress.

3.Deep breathing:Slow, deep breaths can calm the body’s stress response and help you relax.

4.Playing with pet:Walking the dog or petting an animal companion may calm you.

5.Yoga:Practicing yoga can help the body relax. Try doing yoga videos at home or attending a local class.

6.Listen to music:Music helps the body cope with stress. Listen to music that makes you feel happy or relaxed.

7.Read a book:Escape to another world and take your mind off the day with a favorite book.

8.Exercise:Regular exercise has many benefits, including improving your mental health and stress management.

9.Massage:A massage not only feels good, but it can help reduce stress and muscle tension.

Sources: Anxiety and Depression Association of America, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Mental Health

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
How Music Can Relieve Stress

SUCCESS OVER STRESS

Listening to music you love can make you feel great. Research also shows that it can help you cope with stress. Several studies have shown that music has a clear effect on how the body responds to stress.

The University of Nevada, Reno says the best kind of music is the kind you enjoy. It doesn’t have to be considered “relaxing” to help you feel better. Try different types such as Celtic, Native American, jazz, classical, or music with nature sounds.

Music has been shown to decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol. It also increases key cells that fight off viruses and illnesses.

The littlest listeners

Premature infants in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) showed improvements in sucking patterns and heart rate while listening to music. In addition, children who listened to music while getting an IV inserted said they felt less pain than those who didn’t listen to music.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026