How to Beat the Holiday Blues
(from HealthinAging.org)
Tips for Beating the Holiday Blues
It’s a time of celebration, parties, and get-togethers, but sometimes the holiday season can also be a source of the blues, especially for older people. Older adults may think about how quickly time has passed, or miss loved ones more during this time of year. Health conditions or concerns about money can also make it harder to enjoy the holidays. Fortunately, there are ways to help cope with the melancholy that may accompany the holidays. The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Foundation for Health in Aging offers the following tips.
Get out and about: Ask family and friends for help traveling to parties and events. Invite family and friends over. Taking a brisk walk in the morning before you begin the day or in the evening to wind down your day is a great way to beat the blues.
Volunteer: Helping others is a great mood lifter. To volunteer contact your local United Way (it’s listed in the phone book or check www.unitedway.org); or call local schools, churches, synagogues or mosques and ask about volunteer opportunities in your neighborhood.
Drink responsibly: It is easy to overindulge around the holidays, but excessive drinking will only make you feel more depressed. One drink = 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or one ounce of hard liquor. The recommended limit for older men is 14 drinks per week and for older women, 7 per week.
Accept your feelings: There’s nothing “wrong” with not feeling jolly; many people experience sadness and feelings of loss during the holidays. Be kind to yourself, seek support, and even laugh at yourself every now and then.
Talk to someone: Don’t underestimate the power of friends, family, mentors, and neighbors. Talk about your feelings; it can help you understand why you feel the way you do. Something as simple as a phone call, a chat over coffee, or a nice e-mail or letter can brighten your mood.
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Laurie, Thank you for the blog, it is very good but maybe the women are shorted on the drinking. LOL. Not to be stupid, daily drinking is a path to addiction. so is drinking to change your mood, and drinking may cause falls, but older people like more than one drink a day on some days. I know that this blog is not about drinking and it is a very good blog. Thank you.
National Institutes of Health (NIH): National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Women and Alcohol
Women’s drinking patterns are different from men’s—especially when it comes to the type of beverage, amounts, and frequency. Women’s bodies also react differently to alcohol than men’s bodies. As a result, women face particular health risks and realities.
Women should be aware of the health risks associated with drinking alcohol, especially because most women drink at least occasionally, and many women drink a lot.
Why Do Women Face Higher Risk?
Research shows that women start to have alcohol-related problems at lower drinking levels than men do. One reason is that, on average, women weigh less than men. In addition, alcohol resides predominantly in body water, and pound for pound, women have less water in their bodies than men do. So after a man and woman of the same weight drink the same amount of alcohol, the woman’s blood alcohol concentration will tend to be higher, putting her at greater risk for harm. Other biological differences, including hormones, may contribute as well.
Thank you for this Laurie.
When those “Winter Blues” get deep rooted you sometimes forget or don’t want to remember the things that can lift you out.
Excellent advice there, Laurie. The holidays are fraught with tensions and challenges for many. For some, it can become completely overwhelming.
That unrealistic perfect holiday scenario that everyone is supposed to aim for puts ridiculous pressure on people and the letdown can cause disappointment.
Not to mention the incredibly hard time people who have lost loved ones endure as the scenes of happy families are broadcast at us from every quarter. When the poignancy of not being able to share those holidays with someone we have lost is made worse by it all.
Little wonder the holidays can become the opposite of what they promise in an idealized commercial vision imposed on society.
So True Lurie , some are all alone at Christmas and see others enjoying families Etc: , so to serve others is the way to go, Salvation Army is always looking for volunteers to help with lunches christmas morning … and too much alcohol is never a good thing , walking in your neighbourhood is a wonderful way tomeet neighbours and friends , some who are alone as well and that’s the way tomeet others….Remembering past family and friends , is distressing at the holiday season , however one must say to oneself , happy Christmas in their prayers .. for you can.t have them back no matter how much one would like that to happen, they would want one to go forward and enjoy their lives…. thank you for a beautifull blog with thoughts of others at Christmas Laurie …xxxxx
Ty Laurie but this time of the year will never hold anything but sadness for me. No matter who I am with and how much they try to cheer me up I will never consider Christmas as a time for celebration. xx pat
Believe me Pat I understand, like you and countless others I too have painful associations with this time of year. Thoughts and prayers are with you Pat and also with everyone else dealing with sadness during this season.
Ty Laurie my thoughts will be without aswell xx
My very first comment on a blog…….bah humbug!!!!…….
Lets cancel Christmas…..have it in June when we can get out and enjoy the sunshine……a BBQ…a salad…..let the turkeys live a little!!!…….
Saffy I wish
If there’s one thing I can relate to, it is sad and uncomfortable at Christmas.
I have no family left, and most of my dear friends have passed on. I tried to do better this year and did put up a few decorations, only to take them down 3 days later. I just couldn’t see the point of decorating for myself. I live in a retirement community and there are many here who have no family left. One would think we could all get together and enjoy ourselves, but that hasn’t happened yet. We all just sit home alone. I’ve been sober for 14 years and wouldn’t touch a drop of alcohol on a dare. Thank you , Laurie……..and for all those who understand.