18 Dec Natural anxiety remedies to get you through Christmas

Brigitte Flower considers the best anxiety remedies to help you have a relaxed and Merry Christmas. 

Christmas and the winter holidays should be all about family, friends and good food, but it can be an incredibly stressful time. This year is serving up extra worries along with the Christmas meal, with the added anxiety about the cost of our Christmas meal and strikes in our key services.

Anxiety remedies to use at Christmas

If you find the run-up to Christmas exhausting and rather stressful and you’re looking for natural anxiety remedies, you are not alone. Stress-induced illnesses such as heart attacks are known to increase around the festive season, and many of us will find ourselves feeling short-tempered just when we should be full of festive love and cheer.

25% of people say that Christmas makes their mental health worse*, with stress levels on Christmas Day apparently reaching boiling point by 9:37am when the impact of everything that needs doing sinks in!**

Finding time for natural anxiety remedies

With all that pressure on both our time and our wallets at this time of year, finding ways to manage your anxiety can be overwhelming.

Luckily there are steps you can take to help reduce your anxiety naturally, so you’re in the right frame of mind to love Christmas, instead of loathing all the work it creates!

Try mindfulness apps as natural anxiety remedies

Free or low-cost apps such as Calm on your phone are useful anxiety remedies that can help improve focus and clear your mind when you have a few minutes to yourself. The gentle sounds and soothing imagery help you to relax, or you can use one of the meditation programmes as a natural remedy for anxiety to manage stress.

Keep track of your finances to avoid money anxiety

Whatever the size of your budget, once you have decided what you can afford to spend on Christmas food, presents and decorations, try your best to stick to it. It is very tempting to splurge on that extra box of crackers or a second gift for Granny, but ask yourself whether it’s really necessary. I’ve signed up to get alerts from my bank so that I know when I’m near my spending limit and avoid the stress and anxiety that would inevitably come from over-spending.

Stay hydrated

With all the rushing around, it is really easy to forget to drink enough water and dehydration can exacerbate anxiety and feelings of stress. If you’re off for a marathon shopping session or a long Christmas lunch, take a collapsible water bottle with you so that you can keep sipping water while you’re out. 

Set boundaries for family to avoid anxiety

A common source of Christmas stress is often our nearest and dearest. When you normally only see people for short periods during the year, spending lots of time cooped up with your family and in-laws can be very stressful indeed!

If you’re the host, be clear about how long your guests are invited for – if they’re having to travel, three days is usually plenty, but if this means that your home is bursting at the seams, then keep it short and sweet. If you’re the guest, let your host know when you’ll be leaving and what you’re contributing to the festivities. 

Consider what tasks other members of the family can help with and make sure that you are not all stuck in one room for too long at one stretch. Getting everyone out for a walk or a trip to the local café can give everyone a break and prevent a build-up of tension.

Check in on others

A great way to reduce your own anxiety is to take some time to check in on others, especially those who may be struggling with their mental health over the winter.

Is there a neighbour you can pop in on, or an old friend you’ve not seen recently who you can call to see how they are? You’ll be surprised at how an hour or two of thinking about others will help you to ease your own anxiety. 

Natural anxiety remedies

However you celebrate Christmas, it is a time when above all else, you need to be kind to yourself as well as others. Some people find that St John’s Wort herb is a useful natural anxiety remedy, helping you to feel more like yourself again and better able to cope with the invariable niggles and annoyances that the holiday season brings.

To find out more about how HRI Good Mood St John’s Wort can offer a natural anxiety remedy, please visit our product information page. As with any medicine, always read the patient information leaflet before taking the tablets. St John’s Wort herb is not recommended if you use the contraceptive pill or other hormonal contraceptives.

*Survey by YouGov in 2019  ** I ♥️ wines, Daily Express