10 Ways to Handle the Stress of the Holidays without Alcohol

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Everyone agrees that the holidays are stressful. When you are dealing with an alcohol abuse problem, this stress is drastically compounded. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, finding healthy ways of handling stress is a great way to avoid drinking. Below are 10 beneficial strategies that help you handle stress and reduce your relapse potential.

1. Exercise

Science has shown that regular periods of moderate exercise not only help you get in shape, but they also help reduce stress and anxiety. This reduces the urge to drink. Some fun exercises may include:

• Dancing
• Walking
• Playing a sport
• Yoga
• Flexibility
• Pilates

Doing these things helps reduce stress and improve your ability to cope during the holidays without using alcohol.

2. Get plenty of rest

Fatigue can increase stress and make you feel overwhelmed. Getting the proper amount of sleep reduces holiday stress and helps you fight urges to drink. When you’re well-rested, your mood, focus, and patience improve, making it easier to handle busy schedules and social situations. Try to maintain a consistent sleep routine, even during travel or family gatherings, to keep your energy and emotional balance steady throughout the season.

3. Have a plan

According to the Mayo Clinic, one of the best ways to manage stress during the holidays is to have a plan and stick with it. Some of the things you should consider planning before the holiday season include:

• Travel itinerary
• Menus
• Gift lists
• Budget
• Cleaning schedule
• Transportation logistics
• Pet care arrangements

Having a plan reduces unpleasant surprises and reduces stress.

4. Enjoy the little things

With the hustle and bustle of added activities and responsibilities during the holidays, it is easy to overlook the small moments that can bring joy and happiness. Take the time to enjoy the little things, such as:

• Seeing friends and family
• Looking at holiday lights
• Tasting your favorite holiday foods

Taking a moment to appreciate these moments can reduce your holiday stress.

5. Do not be alone

Reducing stress and reducing the urge to drink can be as simple as having someone to talk to. This can include:

• Friends
• Family
• Counselor
• Your AA sponsor
• Church group
• Pastor
• Men’s group/Women’s group

Being alone can heighten feelings of loneliness, boredom, or emotional distress. These are common triggers for drinking or relapse. Without social support or accountability, it becomes easier to justify having a drink or falling back into old habits as a way to cope.

6. Get Outside

It is easy to fall into a rut of stress and depression when you feel alone. Being an alcoholic can exacerbate this problem drastically. Often, something as simple as getting out of the house for a while can change your mood and reduce the urge to drink for comfort.

Fresh air, sunlight, and movement stimulate endorphin production, helping to relieve anxiety and improve your overall outlook. Even a short walk, time in nature, or a brief visit with friends outdoors can provide a healthy distraction and restore a sense of connection.

7. Volunteer

Helping others can put things in perspective and reduce your stress and desire to drink. Volunteering can also give you a sense of purpose and connection, which helps combat loneliness and isolation. Acts of service release feel-good hormones that boost your mood and remind you that you’re part of a larger community. Some holiday volunteer options include:

• Serving in a soup kitchen
• Delivering meals to the elderly
• Caroling in a nursing home
• Wrapping toys for needy children
• Help at a homeless shelter or food bank
• Volunteer at an animal shelter

These activities help others while helping you reduce stress levels.

8. Spirituality

Faith and spirituality are other good ways to beat stress.  Like volunteering, it helps you “get out of your head” and focus outside yourself and your situation. Being more involved in faith and spirituality can include several things, such as:

• Praying
• Meditating
• Reading your spiritual or religious text
• Journaling

Even if you do not practice any faith, meditation helps reduce stress.

9. Take a deep breath

Sometimes the best thing you can do to reduce holiday stress is to just pause a moment, take a deep breath, and remind yourself that the holiday season doesn’t last long, and everything will be back to normal soon.

Deep breathing helps calm your nervous system, lower your heart rate, and ease the physical symptoms of stress. Practicing mindfulness or brief breathing exercises throughout the day can help you stay centered and better manage overwhelming emotions.

10. Ask for help

Everyone gets overwhelmed sometimes. Despite your best efforts, there may come a time when the stress becomes too much, and you feel you can’t make it without a drink. If this happens, seek out help. Whether it is in the form of counseling, rehab, a 12 Step meeting, or something else, help is available. Remember that there is nothing more important than your health and well-being, and your sobriety is directly related to that.