Singer Andy Williams memorialized the winter holidays as “the most wonderful time of the year” in his similarly titled song from the 1960s—with “parties for hosting” and “marshmallows for toasting” and “caroling out in the snow.” But for many people, the tune’s most challenging line is the one that compels you to “be of good cheer”—because, for them, it’s a next-to-impossible task.

A survey by the American Psychological Association (APA; 2023) found that 89% of U.S. adults said they felt stressed at the holidays and 41% said their stress increased during this time compared with other points in the year. The National Alliance on Mental Health (2023) reported that 64% of people living with a mental illness felt that their conditions worsened around the holidays. For women and those with lower income, the holidays can be particularly stressful (Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, 2006).

Here are four of the most common causes of holiday stress.

Overwhelm is an intense, all-encompassing feeling that things are too much to handle, whether emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. It happens when we think we can’t cope with the demands that life places on us. Overwhelm affects us in many ways, from feeling panicky, frozen, or paralyzed, to being mentally slow, excessively sensitive, forgetful, confused, and having difficulty concentrating, thinking clearly, making decisions, or problem-solving. Overwhelm can also impede our sleep and make us feel physically ill or fatigued without knowing why.

How to overcome overwhelm:

Social isolation is the lack of personal relationships and little to no........

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