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Holidays are supposed to be a time for happiness and enjoyment of each other and family. The anticipation of good food and good company along with a break in the normal routine is a welcome change. But, the holidays can be difficult for some, creating medical problems and emotional difficulties.

Holidays bring stress that causes many complaints and health-related issues. Problems include depression, insomnia, heart disease, headaches, and more. Along with this is the cold and flu season.

There are a few simple steps, which if practiced, can help alleviate or prevent these problems from occurring.

* Keep healthy and happy. Whatever you do, don't overdue it. Keep balance in your life. Don't allow temptation to get the best of you. Be careful of what you eat. Overindulging in certain foods may be dangerous. If you have hypoglycemia for example, you know eating too many carbohydrates can cause your blood sugar to go up but suddenly come crashing down, resulting in depression, weakness, and fatigue.

Instead of eating so much at once, eat five or six small high-protein, low-carbohydrate meals throughout the day.

* Plan accordingly. Planning is a must. You must have control over the way you handle any type of holiday event. Lack of control will cause excessive holiday stress. By planning ahead, you can deal more effectively with any type of situation. This will help you to work around them or avoid them.

Also, put in time for yourself. You have to give yourself the chance to relax and take care of your own needs.

* Watch your money. When the holidays come, money is spent. Often times people spend more than they can afford, believing they have an obligation to buy gifts for every member of their family or their friends.

To reduce the amount of stress, be vigilant. Write down what you need to get and how much approximately it will cost. Keep that list in front of you at all times. Don't go beyond or above what is on that list.

Look at your budget and determine how much money you have to spend. Keep tabs on your credit card balances and know what your credit limit is. Interest rates on credit cards are high. It may be nice to purchase that sweater on credit but wait for a month when the bill comes in.

Don't be afraid to admit it if your budget will not allow you to spend that much. Be truthful with your spouse and family. Tell your friends that you are under a tight budget and can't afford to spend a lot. They will understand.

* Need for light. SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is a problem that many people are affected with. Shorter periods of daylight can affect them. This can cause depression and fatigue.

The best way around this is to expose yourself to more light, including artificial light, for at least an hour while it is dark out.

* Know what stresses you. If you know what stresses you most, you can avoid it. Everybody is different. What affects you may not affect the other person.

Just do your best to keep your life balanced and in check. Know where to draw the line and keep on it. Don't go to extremes. Don't overdue it and try to test the limits of your body. You will suffer in the end. Above all, relax and enjoy the holidays.

Harry Husted is a freelance writer and author.  His writing projects include ghostwriting, copywriting, web site content, and DTP.  His credits include articles for Internet Day, Internet World, Advertising Today, Advertising Age, L-Advertising, and a host of others. Harry is also an author of three books, Learn How to Repair Computers: Get Certified in 15 Weeks, How to Write Your Way to Millions, and How to Find and Start a Legitimate Home Business. He can be reached by sending email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit his site at http://www.creatingwords.com

This article is copyright (c) 2002 by Harry Husted, and may be reprinted in it's entirety as long as this byline and copyright statement is included.