6 Ways to Improve Your Mood this Holiday Season
It’s common to feel down or irritable during the holiday season. Short days and uncomfortable temperatures combined with slipping routines, year end deadlines, family dynamics, and high expectations.
You don’t need a dramatic reset or a perfect plan. A good place to start is checking in with yourself about the essential practices that help keep you balanced. You need a few consistent practices that support your body and mind when they’re under pressure.
Mood doesn’t collapse all at once. It erodes quietly through missed sleep, skipped meals, isolation, and unmanaged stress. The good news is that it also rebuilds the same way; through small, repeatable choices that add up over time.
Here are six places to start.
1. Sleep is the foundation
When sleep suffers, mood follows.
Almost every system tied to emotional regulation depends on rest. You don’t need an elaborate routine. You need consistency and calm.
Start by treating your bedroom like it has one job. Make it dark. Make it quiet. Remove distractions where you can. If noise is an issue, a fan or white noise helps.
Set a regular bedtime and wake time, even on weekends. Your body learns patterns quickly, and predictability makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Protect the hour before bed. That’s wind-down time, not project time. Stretch, read, or sit quietly. Avoid screens as much as possible. Bright screens like Phones and TVs disrupt your body’s natural sleep rhythm. Drinking alcohol or eating right before bed has also proven to be disruptive.
Start by trying one small change tonight.
2. Move your body, start small
Exercise helps mental health, but it doesn’t have to be intense.
Movement works because it regulates sleep, reduces stress, and boosts mood-related chemicals in the brain.
A walk counts. Stretching counts. Extra steps count.
Sunlight during daytime movement helps reset your circadian rhythm and supports vitamin D levels, which play a role in mood regulation. If getting started feels overwhelming, aim smaller. Get out of bed. Drink water. Brush your teeth. One action makes the next easier.
Progress beats comparison. You’re rebuilding momentum, not training for a marathon.
As you’re able, look for movement you enjoy. Walk with a friend. Take a casual class. Play a sport for fun, not performance. Social movement adds accountability and makes it easier to show up.
3. Eat to support your energy
Loss of appetite and overeating are both common, neither deserves shame.
Start simple. Add fruits or raw vegetables where you can. They’re easy, quick, and nutrient-dense.
If full meals feel like too much, snack intentionally. Nuts, yogurt, cheese and crackers, hummus and vegetables, or a banana provide steady energy without requiring much effort.
Pay attention to why you’re eating. Comfort, boredom, and habit often drive choices that don’t actually meet your needs. Eating without distractions helps your body recognize fullness and satisfaction.
You don’t need a perfect diet. You need nourishment that works for you. A dietitian or credible nutrition resources can help you define what “healthy” looks like in your life.
4. Ask for support
You weren’t meant to carry everything alone.
Depression often tells people to stay quiet or handle it themselves. That voice is wrong. One honest conversation can shift more than months of isolation.
Start with someone you trust. A friend, family member, or loved one can listen, empathize, and help you feel less alone. They may also help you find next steps.
Medical support matters too. A family doctor can assess symptoms, rule out underlying conditions, prescribe medication when appropriate, or refer you to specialists. It’s an intimidating step for many people, but it’s also a practical one.
Support looks different depending on the source. Friends offer care. Professionals offer expertise. Both are valuable.
5. Stay connected, even briefly
Depression pushes you to withdraw. Connection pulls you back.
You don’t need big social plans, small interactions still count.
Say hello to a neighbour.
Exchange a few words with a cashier.
Go for a short walk with someone you trust.
These moments remind your brain that you’re part of the world.
Volunteering can also help. Supporting others creates a sense of purpose and place. Community centres, libraries, food banks, and local initiatives are good starting points.
Online connection has a role, but it doesn’t replace face-to-face time. Digital interactions provide quick boosts. In-person connection provides deeper relief.
6. Manage stress, one piece at a time
Stress and depression reinforce each other. When stress feels unmanageable, start by slowing your nervous system.
Make lists. Writing tasks down helps your brain organize them. Break large tasks into smaller ones to create visible progress.
Create calm where you can. Deep breathing, meditation, or quiet moments help settle a stressed body, which makes it easier to think clearly.
Build a space that feels safe and comfortable. Lighting, temperature, and order all affect energy more than we realize.
Move regularly. Physical activity reduces stress hormones and increases mood-stabilizing chemicals.
Communicate clearly. If certain relationships are causing stress, respectful and direct conversations can bring relief and improve long-term dynamics.
Manage your time realistically. Overcommitment leads to burnout. You don’t need to match anyone else’s pace. You’re responsible for your life, not their expectations.
Be cautious with numbing behaviours. Alcohol, drugs, gambling, and similar coping strategies offer short-term escape but often deepen stress afterward. Real relief comes from addressing root issues, even slowly. Even one alcoholic drink has been shown to have a significant impact on quality of sleep.
The takeaway
Improving your mood this holiday season doesn’t require fixing everything at once. It requires choosing one or two supportive habits and repeating them consistently.
Sleep well enough.
Move whenever you can.
Eat something nourishing.
Talk to someone.
Connect with someone new, or deeper with someone you know.
Lower the volume on stress.
Small shifts build resilience, and resilience is what carries you through.
To learn more about Managing Depression, use the Men & Collection of digital tools, guides, workbooks, and audio resources, or other free tools on the Forge platform.