How to look after your mental wellbeing over the festive season

If your Christmas cheer is waning, here are some tips to boost your wellbeing.

Connect with your favourites

If you haven’t received the ‘let’s catch up before Christmas’ text message, it’s not far away. For some, December is sashaying from one party to the next; social engagements are the more the merrier. For others though, the silly season requires a balanced act of self-preservation, spacing out the social interactions to ensure adequate recharge time.

Whatever your appetite for social engagement, make sure you carve out time for catch ups with the people who matter most to you.

Despite a jam-packed calendar, according to the Medibank survey, 24% of young people are still feeling lonely most of or all the time during the holiday period.

Loneliness, not be confused with being alone, can occur if you don’t feel connected or understood so make time for meaningful connections with your loved ones.

Work out a budget

Medibank’s survey showed more than 1 in 3 people (and 46% of people aged 18-49 years old) say the cost of Christmas will negatively impact their mental health and wellbeing.

“With cost-of-living pressures being felt right across the community, it’s important to ensure that Christmas doesn’t become a stressful and unenjoyable experience,” says Medibank Chief Medical Officer, Dr Andrew Wilson.

One way to combat the Christmas pinch is to set financial boundaries with cost and presents. Ask your lunch guests to each bring a plate of food for a Christmas potluck. Or suggest reducing the dollar limit for Kris Kringle or even making presents.

With so many in the same boat, your friends and family will likely feel relieved by your cost savings efforts too.

Eat nutrient-dense food

Is Christmas really Christmas without mince tarts or pavlova? Overindulgence and Christmas often go hand in hand but ensuring you’re also squeezing nutrient dense food onto your plate may just make your day even merrier.

Learn more about good mood food here.

Use social media mindfully

Dr Wilson says many people feel the need to create the perfect holiday experience, which can lead to stress, disappointment, and a sense of inadequacy when reality doesn't match those expectations.

An earlier Medibank survey showed 40% of 16-24 year-olds agreed that seeing what others are doing on social media is a trigger for feelings of loneliness.

Some tips to use social media more mindfully:

Set time limits for use
Engage actively with posts rather than passively scrolling
Curate your feed to follow accounts that inspire and uplift
Unfollow those that make you feel bad about yourself
Turn off notifications.

Where and how can I access support?

If you are experiencing a mental health issue, a good place to start the discussion about getting help is with your GP. Members with health insurance can also chat to a mental health professional² over the phone or online at no extra cost¹to discuss any mental health questions and get guidance on what to do next. That’s support that never sleeps, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Learn more about 24/7 Medibank Mental Health Support here.

If you, or someone you know, need immediate support or medical assistance, contact  000  in an emergency or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

For more tips and information on how to take care of your mental health, visit:

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