'Tis the season for completely losing it. The holidays are a worry-filled time for a lot of people, but it turns out that you might be partially to blame for your own pre-eggnog anxiety. But we know (or we hope) you're not purposely trying to sabotage yourself, so here's a quick rundown of things you might be doing without realizing they're actually making you feel worse.


Take a deep breath and try to relax. You might be stressed because...




1. You haven't laughed today.


If you can't remember the last time you laughed so hard you were blinded by tears, you should reconsider your life choices. And watch this video clip[1] . Laughter has been shown to relieve stress[2] , stimulate blood flow, relax muscles, promote a healthy immune system and relieve pain.




2. You're not using your gym membership.


workout


In a study on mice[3] , those that had exercised responded to a stressful cold-water bath with a short spurt of anxiety followed by calm, suggesting brains are more equipped to deal with stress when the body has been physically active. Regular exercise, not whenever-I'm-bored-and-it's-convenient exercise, can help you de-stress[4] . Also, you'll look better.




3. You're listening to the wrong playlist.


Multiple studies have shown the relaxing benefits of listening to music[5] . But everyone has their own musical[6] preferences[7] . Your piano teacher might chill out to Debussy, but maybe The Cranberries take you back to a relaxing, mid-90s kind of place. Know yourselves, guys.




4. You left that sink of dirty dishes for "tomorrow."


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Consider your cleaning habits. Were you "that" roommate in college? Would it be not uncommon to find a partially decomposed banana lying under a pile of fliers and junk mail on top of your refrigerator? Is the bottom of your bag a sad collection of broken pens? Keeping your spaces tidy may not be an anxiety cure-all, but there's evidence[8] to suggest it can help[9] relieve stress.




5. You're not having enough sex.


If you're freaking out about something, you may not have given this topic much thought, but you should! It's the most fun stress-reliever[10] on this list. Yep, sex not only counts as decent exercise[11] , but it may very well help you chill out. Princeton researchers found lower stress hormones[12] in rats allowed to copulate daily in one study, and Bonobo monkeys have long been observed[13] to use sex as a stress management tool.




6. You're letting your breathing get the best of you.


Quick breathing is a natural response to stressors[14] , but unless you're losing it over something like a saber-toothed tiger, hyperventilating over anxiety kind of defeats the purpose. Find a breathing exercise[15] that works for you, and remember it the next time you start to worry.




7. You're trying to face your stressors.


ron swanson


Valiant effort, but the truth is, within reason, you can try to avoid things that stress you out. Don't like crowds? Then stop grocery shopping on Saturday afternoons. The Mayo Clinic says you can totally avoid specific people[16] , too -- which you're probably already doing if you don't like them, but now you don't have to feel guilty about dodging whatever mouth-breathing co-worker you can't stand.




8. You haven't said anything nice about yourself.


Repetitive self-assurance[17] ("Everything will be okay" or "I will not drop the baby") has been found to be helpful in reducing anxiety[18] . The brain is a powerful tool, so use it.




9. You're sleeping badly.


30 rock


If it's 4:32 a.m. and you know you'll have to peel yourself off your mattress to go to work in a few hours' time, close out of Netflix. It's not time for one more episode. Sticking to a regular, healthy sleep schedule[19] doesn't just protect you against heart disease, some cancers and a host of other chronic health problems, it can also help you feel better about yourself and your life[20] .




10. You see time management as more of a goal than a reality.


If the sheer number of things you have to get done on any single day is overwhelming, consider how much time you devote to each task. Planning your day[21] and prioritizing your to-dos can help you make better time-management decisions to feel more in control of your life. If internet procrastination is your weakness, this Chrome extension[22] will track how long you spend on each site.




11. You're saying "yes" too much.


daily dose of grumpy cat


Once in a while, it's okay to say "no"[23] to lighten the load[24] of your personal responsibilities. No, sorry, you can't drop your cousin off at the airport, because you've had a dinner scheduled for weeks. No, sorry, you can't make a fruitcake for the company holiday party, because it would take too long to bake. And fruitcake is disgusting. (Mostly the latter.)




12. You're surgically attached to your phone.


Stop that. Stop checking. You'll be okay -- see the item regarding personal mantras. Research has shown[25] that the pressure to be constantly available to respond to emails, texts, phone calls and to know what's going on can be too much. You may want to make a conscious effort to turn your phone and computer off for a certain amount of time each day.




13. You've just achieved some major goal.


…but for some reason you're still freaking out! Yikes. (We can only hope you're knocking out life goals on a daily basis, anyway.) Research has shown that "compassionate" goals[26] -- things that benefit others along with yourself -- reduce anxiety post-achievement more so than "self-image" goals in college students. In other words, be a better person and you might just feel better, too.


Bonus: If you need some extra stress relief, chew some gum, find a puppy to spend some time with, or channel your inner Brit with a hot cup of tea.[27] [28] [29]


Now isn't that better?


samoyed



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  • Child's Pose (Balasana)


    The calming child's pose is a resting posture that can help quiet the mind, easing stress and anxiety while gently stretching the back. It's also good for the nervous system and lymphatic system, Kennedy notes. "It's one of the key poses that you can come to in the middle of a class whenever you want to to relieve stress," she says. "It's very restorative ... it's child-like and allows us to come inward to ourselves."




  • Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)


    Not to be confused with the <a href="http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/473" target="_blank">full wheel</a>, the bridge pose provides gentle stretching of the back and legs while alleviating stress and tension. The pose can reduce anxiety, fatigue, backaches, headaches and insomnia, and is even thought to be therapeutic for high blood pressure. Eva Norlyk Smith, Ph.D., yoga teacher and Managing Editor at YogaUOnline, recommends a supported bridge pose with a block underneath the sacrum as a gentler and more de-stressing way to enjoy the stretch.




  • Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)


    Often used as a transition between poses, uttanasana has many benefits when practiced as a pose in itself. The posture stretches the hamstrings, thighs, hips, and is thought to relieve stress, fatigue and mild depression. If your goal is to de-stress in the pose, it's best done with the knees slightly bent, Kennedy says. "It's great for the legs and a lot of different physical things, and it also allows us to calm the mind. You're reversing the blood flow and just hanging out," she says.




  • Eagle Pose (Garudasana)


    The active and empowering eagle pose can help ward off stress by improving concentration and balance, and also by opening up the shoulders, upper back and hips. "Eagle is an empowerment pose because it releases tension in the shoulders, legs and back, and it does require focus for you to remain balanced in it," says Kennedy. "You're literally squeezing the tension out of the body. It's a very active de-stress move"




  • Corpse Pose (Savasana)


    Most yoga practices end with several minutes spent in savasana, and it can easily be the most calming part of the whole thing. The pose puts the body completely at ease and emphasizes total relaxation. Savasana can trigger the body's "relaxation response," a state of deep rest that slows the breathing and lowers the blood pressure while quieting the nervous system. "[Savasana] is <em>the</em> relaxation pose," Kennedy says. "It's actually difficult for many people because we're so not used to being still ... But it encourages the body to come to a more restful state."




  • Extended Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana)


    One of the foundational postures, the triangle pose is an excellent stress-reliever and full-body stretch, <a href="http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/494" target="_blank">according to Yoga Journal</a>. It can also help to improve digestion, and potentially mitigate the symptoms of conditions like anxiety, osteoporosis and sciata.




  • Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)


    Norlyk Smith recommends the resting legs up the wall pose for stress reduction. The pose is traditionally thought to <a href="http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/690" target="_blank">slow the aging process</a>. "It helps renew blood and lymph drainage back into the heart area," she says.




  • Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana)


    A variation of child's pose with a heart-opening effect, this mild inversion pose can help to counter our tendency to crouch and slouch the shoulders when stressed, according to Norlyk Smith.




  • Cat Pose (Marjaryasana)


    The cat pose soothes and stretches the lower back, relieving stress while gently massaging the spine. Try arching and rounding the back 10 times in a row while focusing on deep inhaling and exhaling. "[In the cat pose], you're releasing stress in the spine ... If you're in a class, it allows students to begin to slow down and focus on the breath," Kennedy says. "It's one of those transition poses that takes us from the outside world in."




  • Dolphin Pose


    Similar to the downward-facing dog position, except with the forearms on the floor, his standing inversion pose can help to quiet the mind, alleviate stress and reduce anxiety, <a href="http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2462" target="_blank">according to Yoga Journal</a>. The posture stretches the shoulders, neck and spine.