How to Handle Loneliness Over the Holidays

By Jeanne Heileman, Yoga Teacher Trainer | Published at Fabletics
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Ah, the Holidays…

Most people spend this time with friends and family, but if your family isn’t around this year, don’t let it spoil the festive mood of the moment. There are many things to do to ensure that this time of the year is still special!

It has been proven that physical activity gets the blood moving and the respiratory system working more efficiently, which leads to a release of serotonin (aka: the happy hormone)!

Moral of the story: get active with other people to balance the time alone.

Studies have found that taking a daily walk has been known to combat depression and help with weight loss.

Look up volunteer opportunities in your community and see where help is needed. If you’re an animal lover, join a rescue shelter to get unconditional love from some four-legged souls.

Certain foods are known to increase depression, which doesn’t help if you are feeling sad already. Limit your intake of alcohol, excess sugar, carbohydrates, and processed foods, and drink lots of water and herbal tea.

Limit your consumption of depressing stories and music. Try to seek out inspiring stories and documentaries about positive ways to live and work through difficulties.

Feeling the negative emotions is part of digesting them so that you can release them completely. The ability to be present with your feelings immediately connects you to others with similar feelings. This can increase your capacity for empathy, a skill that gets us out of our deepest, darkest moments. Empathy can lead us to helping others, which brings a sense of self-worth and value.

By Jeanne Heileman, Yoga Teacher Trainer | Published at Fabletics