Shorter and colder days with less sunshine and winter holidays can be stressful any year. If you are feeling increased sadness, depression, anxiety, worry, and frustration right now, you certainly are not alone!

These are all normal feelings that, for some, have become heightened due to fears and limitations imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This holiday season, many of us are missing and yearning for the company the holidays usually bring, while also dealing with the stress of canceling in-person gatherings with extended family and friends.

There are proven strategies to ease mental stress that you can start to implement immediately. If you or a loved one needs more support, compassionate professional help is available.

Treat Yourself with Loving Kindness

If a friend or family member expressed sadness or struggle, you would be there with a compassionate ear and a shoulder to cry on. Give yourself the care that you would give to others. Allow yourself to recognize expressing yourself helps. Talk about your feelings with caring friends and family members.

Break the Stress Cycle

Take a few minutes and keep in touch with others. Always ask for help if you are finding things are becoming overwhelming. If you crave being on your own, do something that brings you pleasure. Some good activities to try are taking a walk, reading a book, listening to mood-lifting music, watching a comedy show, writing, gratitude journaling, creating art or singing.

Although taking a break may seem impossible for some people juggling many responsibilities such as parenting, care-giving and financial worries, know that even a minute of mindful breathing can be the moment of mental relief you need to keep going.

Take a Breath

Deep breathing sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax. Start a breathing practice by just stopping fast-moving stress.

Turn your attention to your breath. Take three, slow inhales and exhales, filling and emptying your lungs as much as you can with each breath. See how good that feels, make mindful breathing a part of every day.

Eat and Celebrate Mindfully

By all means, have some delicious food treats, especially during the holidays! Enjoy festive traditions and joyous celebrations.

If you find yourself eating in unhealthy ways, however, and are feeling miserable about your eating habits, turn to other strategies to support yourself. Keep alcohol in mind too. Focus on drinking in moderation, for enjoyment and not to dangerous excess.

A Natural Mood Boost

Exercise is one of the very best ways to quickly improve your mood. It releases endorphins, chemicals produced by the nervous system that send feel-good signals to the brain. Endorphins reduce pain and tend to increase happiness.

Almost any activity that gets your body moving helps. You can bundle up and go for a run or brisk walk or stay indoors and try an online exercise or yoga class. Put on music and dance around the living room, you can clean or decorate at the same time too. Stay strong and keep moving!

To learn more about maintaining your health, visit Montefiore Medical Center’s COVID Resource Center at https://covid19.montefiore.org/stay-strong. You can learn from healthcare experts about how to stay physically and mentally strong.