Thanksgiving Will Be More Stressful This Year - Here's Why

The holiday season with your family might be even more stressful this year thanks to added pressures such as concern about prices and world affairs.

A new survey of 1,007 Americans commissioned by the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine found that 81 percent of responders were stressed because of national issues and international turmoil, while 75 percent were stressed because of increased spending and prices over the holidays.

Fifty-three percent of the respondents said they were stressed about rising cases of COVID-19 and flu across the country, while 44 percent are anxious from thinking about the travel problems that occurred last year.

"The holidays kind of bring on this feeling of sadness and struggle when we really want it to be more of a joyous time," Nicole Hollingshead, a psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, said in a statement.

She went on: "I encourage people to reflect on what the holidays meant for you growing up. And most of the time I don't hear people reflect on 'I loved having all the presents or I remember every single thing that someone gave me.' Instead, it's more of the feeling of the holidays."

To lessen this holiday stress, Hollingshead advises focusing on the factors that you can control.

She suggests discussing your budget with your family or partner ahead of time and making plans to reduce spending, which may help alleviate some stress or guilt from the holiday period.

"Cost of living has gone up significantly," she said. "I know groceries are overwhelming for most of us. I'm not surprised to hear that people are struggling with planning for the holiday season. So really having those conversations now is going to be important to be able to navigate what is it we feel comfortable spending," she said in the statement.

As for stress about international news, Hollingshead advises limiting exposure to bad news by not watching as much TV news and spending less time "doom scrolling" on your phone.

Health stress related to rising cases of illnesses can be alleviated by being as prepared as possible to face them, as well as limiting exposure to possible infection sources. Hollingshead urges catching up on vaccinations and washing hands frequently so you know you are protected from the flu or COVID-19.

Candice Hoffman of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told Newsweek, "The CDC advises individuals to seek emergency medical attention for COVID-19 if they experience the following emergency warning signs: trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake and pale, gray or blue-colored skin, lips or nail beds."

As for unreliable travel, Hollingshead suggests hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. Make a backup travel plan in case something goes wrong or is delayed.

She advises focusing on spending time with family and not worrying about everything being perfect.

"It gets close to the holidays and I worry: 'Did I buy enough for my family? Did I do enough?' And so we can lose sight of the importance of having too many gifts or making sure everybody has enough to unwrap. Then we lose sight of the big picture, which is that time together," she said.

For anxiety about the world in general, Hollingshead advises using a system called "STOP" to help if you're feeling overwhelmed. "S" stands for "slow down," "t" stands for "take a few deep" breaths, "o" stands for "observe the issue," and "p" stands for "proceed with a rational plan."

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