The holidays can be a joyful time, offering a chance to reconnect with friends and family. They can also be stressful and hectic. You may feel pressure to buy and give gifts, have concerns about money, or feel like there isn’t enough time to get everything done.

Think about the kinds of events that trigger stress for you during the holidays. Then, you can focus on one or two things you can do that will help the most to reduce stress.

Here are some ideas:

Preparing for the holidays 

1. Know your spending limit. Lack of money is one of the biggest causes of stress during the holiday season. This year, set a budget, and don’t spend more than you’ve planned. It’s okay to tell your child that a certain toy costs too much. Don’t buy gifts that you’ll spend the rest of the year trying to pay off.
2. Give something personal. You can show love and caring with any gift that is meaningful and personal. It doesn’t have to cost a lot. Or, use words instead of an expensive gift to let people know how important they are to you. Make a phone call or write a note and share your feelings.
3. Get organized. Make lists or use an appointment book to keep track of tasks to do and events to attend.
4. Share the tasks. You don’t have to do everything yourself. Share your “to do” list with others. Spend time with friends and family while you share tasks like decorating, wrapping gifts, and preparing the holiday meal.
5. Learn to say no. It’s okay to say “no” to events that aren’t important to you. This will give you more time to say “yes” to events that you do want to attend.
6. Be realistic. Try not to put pressure on yourself to create the perfect holiday for your family. Focus instead on the traditions that make holidays special for you. And remember that just because it’s a holiday, family problems don’t go away. If you have a hard time being around your relatives, it’s okay to set limits on your time at events.

During the holidays

You may not be able to avoid stressful situations during the holidays, but you can plan to respond to them in a healthy way.

1. Take breaks from group activities. Pay attention to your own needs and feelings. Spend a little time by yourself if you can. Meditate, or do some relaxation breathing. Go for a short walk.
2. Keep a regular sleep, meal, and exercise schedule. Limit your alcohol. Taking care of yourself will help you deal with stressful situations during the holidays.
3. Get support if you need it. Holidays can sometimes trigger depression. They can be especially hard if you are already dealing with the death of a loved one or the breakup of a relationship. You may feel embarrassed to ask for help, or you may think that you’ll get over “the blues” on your own. But most people need treatment to get better. Talk with your doctor about counseling and medicine for depression.

Help is available. For additional information, visit MagellanHealth.com/MYMH

Q: What is stress?

A: Stress is how the brain and body respond to the demands of life, such as family, work, school, life changes and traumatic events. How you respond affects your health, and it is important to understand how to handle these stressful events in a productive and positive way.

There are four different kinds of stress:

Eustress is positive or good stress. This type of stress can feel pleasant and/or rewarding after the stressful situation subsides.

Distress is negative stress. Most people attribute their own stress to distress. Negative stress can be acute or chronic.

Acute stress is extremely intense stress when it occurs but disappears after the event passes. An example of acute stress is being pulled over by a police officer and your heart rate goes up and you begin to sweat.  Once the situation is resolved you begin feeling normal again.

Chronic stress is less intense stress that usually lasts for a long period of time. An example of chronic stress is if you are dealing with pressure from credit card debt. You may feel an increase in headaches and have difficulty sleeping at night. These physical changes take a toll on your health and well-being.

Q: Who does stress affect?

A: Everyone feels stressed from time to time. Some people cope with stress more effectively or recover from stressful events more quickly than others. There are different types of stress–all of which carry physical and mental health risks. A stressor may be a one time or short term occurrence, or it can keep happening over a long period of time.

Q: Is all stress bad?

A: No. Stress can motivate people to prepare or perform, like when they need to take a test or interview for a new job. Stress can be life-saving in response to danger as your body prepares to face a threat or flee to safety. In these situations, your pulse quickens, you breathe faster, your muscles tense, your brain uses more oxygen and increases activity–all functions aimed at survival.

Q: Can stress cause me to gain or lose weight?

A: Yes. Stress can wreak havoc on your eating habits.

When you are under stress, the balance of hormones in your body can change, leading to cravings, increased appetite or a lack of appetite. Limited time, energy and motivation can also affect your physiological approach to food, as well as what types of food you eat and when you eat. Changes in weight vary greatly from person to person depending on how they respond to stressful situations.

Q: Does stress affect my blood pressure?

A: Stress has not been shown to directly cause high blood pressure, but it can lead to unhealthy lifestyle choices that are associated with high blood pressure. Chronic stress can weaken your immune system and cause uncomfortable physical symptoms like headaches and stomach problems.

Q: Can medications help me lower my stress level?

A: Medicines are helpful for many things, but usually not for stress. Some people take tranquilizers to calm them down immediately, but it’s far better in the long term to learn to manage your stress through relaxation or stress management techniques. Be careful not to confuse stress with anxiety. If you suffer from anxiety, speak with your doctor a treatment or management plan including whether you need medication.

Q: What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

A: PTSD develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event. It is natural to feel afraid during and after a traumatic situation. Nearly everyone will experience a range of reactions after trauma, yet most people recover from initial symptoms naturally. Those who continue to experience problems may be diagnosed with PTSD because they may continue to feel stressed or frightened even when they are not in danger.

Q: What causes stress?

A:  A lot of things can cause stress–from personal problems to job and social issues including:

• Health–especially if you have a chronic illness such as heart disease, diabetes, or arthritis
• Emotional problems–anger you can’t express, depression, grief, guilt, or low self-esteem
• Relationships–having problems with your relationships or feeling a lack of friendships or support in your life
• Major life changes–dealing with the death of a parent or spouse, losing your job, getting married, or moving to a new city
• Family–such as having a child, teen, or other family member who is under stress, or being a caregiver to a family member who is elderly or who has health problems
• Conflicts with your beliefs and values–you may value family life, but you may not be able to spend as much time with your family as you want
• Environment–living in an area where overcrowding, crime, pollution, or noise is a problem can create chronic stress
• Social situation–not having enough money to cover your expenses, feeling lonely, or facing discrimination based on your race, gender, age, or sexual orientation can add stress to your life
• Employment–being unhappy with your work or finding your job too demanding can lead to chronic stress. Losing your job or not being able to find work is also very stressful

Q: What can I do to reduce my stress?

A: There are countless quick, easy, and cost-free actions you can take to reduce your stress. Here’s a few to consider: meditate, exercise, create a support network, think positive, avoid excess caffeine, laugh, focus on you.

Help is available. For additional information, visit MagellanHealth.com/MYMH

Sources: American Heart Association, National Institute of Mental Health, WebMD

During National Depression Awareness Month, we wanted to take some time to discuss the very normal stress and mental health challenges working families experience as we are increasingly connected to our jobs. As our connectivity to work has grown – between email, texting, chats, phone calls, video conferencing calls, and a myriad of social networking sites – so has the challenge to separate work from our personal lives. Employees are spending an increasing amount of time both at work and thinking about work. Habits such as checking email during a family dinner or ruminating about that email that you’d forgotten to write in bed at night are common experiences for many. Add on top of that a child who’s acting out and a parent who needs a little extra care both physically and financially, and you have a recipe for stress that affects your own health and mindset, as well as potentially relationships with family, friends or colleagues.

Employee assistance programs (EAPs) have been adopted by many employers to reduce the impact of mental health disorders, workplace stress and other work/life issues on workplace productivity. Despite the ubiquity of this employee benefit, which is offered by 97 percent of large employers, utilization hovers around five percent industry-wide. A primary barrier is the stigma of utilizing EAP programs, which were historically grown from occupational substance abuse programs.

While great strides have been made in reducing stigma, a great opportunity lies in changing the premise that stands in the way of employees tapping into services that might help them move forward and find their best self. What if we were to fundamentally remove the premise that there are people with “issues” and people without? The reality is that every employee is faced with their own brand of “juggle,” and stress and anxiety continue to be on the rise as working families live increasingly busy lives.

As Magellan transforms the EAP benefit for modern day workers and their families, we’re driven to provide resources and tools to help people address their mental health challenges before they severely impact their lives and productivity. The pivot lies in helping employees take care of their mental health as a practice of self-improvement and in helping employers position EAP services in their culture of well-being.

There are three essential components to powering this shift in the transformed EAP:

• Clinically-validated online programs and mobile apps that help employees track and change habits and mindsets
• When employees experience a bump in the road, convenient access to a coach or therapist that can fit into their harried day
• Content that inspires, motivates and helps employees feel validated in the normalcy of their stress and feel connected to others tackling similar experiences

Imagine a world where employees give each other a high five for taking some “me” time, leveraging a convenient method of choice, just as they do for someone sticking to their gym routine or running their first 5k. We certainly do!

The full extent of this remarkably negative 2016 Presidential campaign might surprise you. Studies show that the campaign may have had a profound effect on the mental wellbeing of many people. This goes beyond the usual split of people who feel excited or disappointed following the outcome of any election. Across the country, healthcare providers are reporting an increase in patient stress.

It should be noted, this is not simply a result of the conclusion of the campaign. In October, the American Psychological Association reported that 52 percent of American adults identified the 2016 election as a very or somewhat significant source of stress. Worryingly, that announcement was based on a survey conducted in August when the final, and most contentious, part of the campaign was just getting started.

According to the APA survey:

• Across party lines, those registered as Democrats (55 percent) and Republicans (59 percent) are statistically equally likely to say the election is a very or somewhat significant source of stress.
• Nearly 4 in 10 adults (38 percent) say that political and cultural discussions on social media cause them stress.
• Men and women are equally likely (51 percent vs. 52 percent, respectively) to say the 2016 U.S. presidential election is a very or somewhat significant source of stress.
• Millennials and “matures” are the most likely to say the election is a very or somewhat significant source of stress (56 percent vs. 59 percent, respectively) — significantly more than Generation Xers (45 percent) but not boomers (50 percent).

In fact, the APA found that people were so stressed that it saw the need to release coping tips relating to the election.

Interestingly, given the result of the election, researchers have found that stress is not just limited to liberals. In an article for Wired, Maimuna Majumder a computational epidemiology research fellow for HealthMap at Boston Children’s Hospital explained that “some findings are consistent across red, blue, and swing states. Among them is the fact that increased searches explicitly for “presidential election” seem to be associated with searches for depression and anxiety, which suggests that the 2016 presidential election cycle may have been a source of emotional distress for Americans, irrespective of political leaning.”

Where is this election stress having an impact?

Day-to-day, one of the most noticeable places where this stress is felt is in the workplace. A noticeable change in this election, compared to those in the past, is a willingness to discuss it at work. In the APA survey, nearly half (47 percent) of all respondents said people are more likely to discuss politics in the workplace this election season than in the past. With these types of discussions happening in the workplace, employers are rightfully concerned about what all of this is doing to their workforce.

In short, a high level of employee stress does not lead to an engaged, productive workforce. In fact, the result is very much the opposite. According to a study by Fairleigh Dickerson University, “Workplace stress costs U.S. employers an estimated $200 billion per year in absenteeism, lower productivity, staff turnover, workers’ compensation, medical insurance and other stress-related expenses.” Other estimates, put the number at more than $500 billion. Studies have shown that businesses with a high-stress or high-pressure environment spend as much as 50 percent more than average on healthcare. There is also a strong link between high employee stress and low employee engagement.

Supporting Employees through External Stressors

Whether it is an election or a traumatic event or emergency, there are always going to be external events that are impossible to control. It is however, feasible to provide an environment and toolkit for employees to allow them to better manage their stress levels and emotional well-being.

Employers should lean on their Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) to provide resources for employees who are feeling stressed by the election (and the rest of the news cycle). This can range from simple advice about how to manage stress to more holistic therapy options. An EAP can also provide guidance and training for management-level employees for creating a cohesive and inclusive workplace.