Luke's Medical Center. If you're not having fun, that's the first sign you're getting stressed out. Stress not only saps your holiday spirit, it's also bad for your health. Studies show that more than half of all doctor's visits are for symptoms caused or made worse by stress or depression.
Stress contributes to headaches, high blood pressure and insomnia.
It weakens the body's immune system, making people more susceptible to colds, flu and other ailments. Holiday stress primarily falls under this second category, De La Cruz says. The holidays are really a stimulus overload. There are more functions to go to, more people to greet, more family encounters. To counteract holiday stress, De La Cruz suggests shopping under the lights on Michigan Avenue, taking the kids ice skating or soaking in a scented bath.