While others are decking the halls, many people find the holidays trigger anxiety and depression. Stress can arise from financial strain, dealing with difficult relatives or trying to create the perfect holiday, said Michelle Martel, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky. Also, the holidays can bring up sad memories for people who have lost loved ones, she noted in a university news release. But there are things you can do to reduce the risk of stress and mood problems during the holidays, Martel said. For starters, she suggested the following: Get as much sunlight as possible. Reduced exposure to light and less vitamin D from sunlight have been linked with depression. If you can’t get outside, consider using a sun therapy light. Be sure you get enough vitamin D in your diet or take a multivitamin. Get plenty of exercise. If you can’t get outdoors, try a gym or walk the halls at work or at a mall. Exercise benefits both mind and body. Plan stress-free family time. For example, get dinner delivered and don’t feel obliged to go to every holiday get-together put on by family and friends. If family time is stressful or you don’t have family to spend time with, make plans with friends or try to get away for the holidays, Martel suggested. If you’re struggling with…  read on >

Husband or wife, mom or dad, the demands on your time can be overwhelming. But even if there’s no end to your to-do list, securing some time for yourself is a must. While scheduling a mani-pedi or catching a ball game with friends is great, simply closing your office or bedroom door for 30 minutes can give you the time you need to recharge. True quiet time with no distractions and no demands has many benefits. It allows you to focus on important situations you’re dealing with, think more clearly and be more creative. You can even use the time to reflect on the goals you’ve set for yourself and possibly tweak them. Finding private time can seem like a challenge all by itself. You might try waking up 15 minutes before everyone else in your household for quiet reflection before you turn on the TV or any other electronics. In pleasant weather, get outside in the morning sunshine and take a walk around the block or simply water the flowers in your yard. At night, skip the late news and escape to the solitude of your bedroom or a spare room that can become your oasis. You might read, do a crossword puzzle, knit a few rows on a small project or simply practice a few minutes of deep breathing to get yourself centered…  read on >

The joy of giving really does last longer than the joy of receiving, researchers report. Experiments with hundreds of participants found their happiness did not decrease, or decreased much slower, if they repeatedly gave small amounts of money to others instead of repeatedly receiving money. The findings suggest that “repeated giving, even in identical ways to identical others, may continue to feel relatively fresh and relatively pleasurable the more that we do it,” said study co-author Ed O’Brien, of the University of Chicago School of Business. In one experiment, university students received $5 a day for five days. They were told to spend the money the exact same way each time — either on themselves or on someone else, such as tipping at the same cafe or making an online donation to the same charity every day. The 96 participants reported their happiness levels each day, and a clear pattern emerged. While all had similar levels of happiness at the start of the study, those who spent money on themselves had a steady decline in happiness over the five days. But happiness was sustained among those who gave their money away. In another experiment, more than 500 participants played 10 rounds of an online word puzzle game. They won 5 cents a round, which they either kept or donated to a charity of their choice.…  read on >