It's official. The holiday season is here, and you know what that means! Home-cooked meals, parties & family gatherings, and quality family time, with all that holiday goodness, sometimes comes the anxiety and feeling of being overwhelmed. The holiday season is supposed to be filled with happy and warm family moments - but we all know that isn't always the case. So here are six ways to help you deal with stress this holiday season.

Spend Time with Friends and Family
If you find yourself thinking about how stressed and anxious you are this holiday season, then there is a good chance that another one of your loved ones is feeling the same way. Talking, hugging, and spending time with those you love have been known to reduce stress and increase your happiness (by releasing serotonin into your system). So why not lean on each other

Make Sure You Eat
Everyone knows about stress eating. That feeling is when you are stressed (or anxious) about something, and you either can't eat anything or you can't stop stuffing your face. Unfortunately, those feelings of stress and anxiety tend to rise during the holidays - so does the stress eating.

While it is essential to make sure that you eat regularly to help deal with your stress levels. Not all foods you eat will provide you with what your body needs to fight off those holiday blues. Instead, try feeding your brain some brain food such as fruit, vegetables, protein, and healthy fats. With a balanced diet, your body will have all the extra energy it needs to deal with stressful situations.

Exercise
Fight the holiday stress and put some more pep in your step. Make it your mission this holiday season to keep up your exercise routine. If you can't, try to get outside for a walk. Exercise is an important (and practical) way to fight off the stress of the holidays. It helps to increase the blood flow to your brain, allowing you to focus on a single activity rather than on what is stressing you out. No matter how crazy your holiday gets, you can always use exercise to reduce any tension, fatigue, confusion, or anger you might be feeling.

Get Sleep
Did you know that getting more rest means a decrease in cortisol (stress) levels? Are you looking for a way to restore balance to your body's systems? It is important that, when stressed, you get a good night's sleep.

A brain that is rested is happy. When you get eight or more hours of sleep a night, not only will you feel well-rested, you are more likely to make better decisions, feel less stressed, and be more accurate and efficient.

Do Something That You Enjoy
Another way to get those serotonin levels up, and your stress down, is to try doing something you enjoy every day. It doesn't have to be something big like traveling somewhere. Go for a walk in the park, treat yourself to a nice meal, or do anything as long as it is something that you enjoy doing. When you do something you love to do, your brain is more likely to be flooded with serotonin, you are more likely to feel less stressed, have a lower heart rate, and be in a better mood.

The holiday season is about family, love, laughter, and cheer. Dealing with your stress in a healthy manner is the right path to being merry! So, let's make this the best holiday season possible with a lot of cheer and little to no stress!