The IAA One Minute Blog

The holiday season is upon us and you know what that means--stress. Stress and depression can ruin your holidays and your health. Insurance Administrator of America  is here with tips on how to manage holiday stress.

Helpful Holiday Reminders

It's no wonder the holiday season is stressful, as it presents a dizzying array of demands--parties, shopping, baking, cleaning, and entertaining. Here are some tips on how to deal with the multitude of issues that can occur during the holidays:

1. Be Realistic: The holidays do not have to be perfect or just like last year. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well.
2. Set Aside Differences: Try to accept friends and family members as they are, even if they don't live up to your expectations.
3. Stick to a Budget: Before you go shopping, decide how much you can spend.
4. Plan Ahead: Plan your menu and shopping list ahead of time to help prevent a last minute scramble to buy forgotten ingredients.
5. Learn to Say No: Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed.

Being realistic, planning ahead and seeking support can help ward off stress.

Dealing With Family

Sometimes it can be hard to deal with family during an already stressful time. Here are some tips for celebrating alongside family members:

• Keep Conversations Neutral: If your family wants to talk about issues you are not comfortable discussing, change the subject or excuse yourself from the room.
• Accept Who They Are: Don't try to change them, you will only get into a power struggle, cause defensiveness, invite criticism or otherwise make things worse.
• See the Best in People: Try to look for the positive aspects of others and focus on that.

Do You Have S.A.D?

Seasonal Affect Disorder (S.A.D) is a recurring depression that happens due to seasonal changes. Fall onset S.A.D, also known as "winter depression" is most recognized. In this subtype, major depressive episodes begin in late fall to early winter and decrease in summer months. It is believed decreasing daylight available in fall and winter triggers a depressive episode in people pre-disposed to develop the disorder. Symptoms of S.A.D include:

• Increased appetite
• Weight gain
• Sleep loss
• Decreased energy
• Lack of motivation
• Heavy "leaden" feeling in arms and legs
• Social withdraw

The specific causes of S.A.D remain unknown.

The Affects of Holiday Stress

One reason why stress is so recurrent during the holidays is that people fall into the same patterns year after year. Stress can be counterproductive and harmful to health even if it's only for a few weeks. While holiday stress may not cause any serious health consequences, over the long-term stress can have a negative affect on the heart.

What IAA has to Say

Don't let the holidays become something you dread. Take steps to prevent the stress and depression that can descend during the holidays. IAA wishes you and yours a happy and healthy holiday season.