Festivals are a great way to get together and celebrate with your loved ones. But what if some of the most important events trigger a sense of inadequacy instead of happiness? Even when everyone is happy, that doesn’t imply that everyone is feeling content and not stressed. Women are the most vulnerable to stress during festivities. Are you wondering how? Let’s find out.

We got in touch with Dr Mickey Mehta, Global leading holistic health guru/corporate life coach, Mumbai, to understand how festive celebrations can take a toll on the mental health of women.

Impact of festive celebration on women’s mental health

Women have the strength and power to multitask, but quite often the challenges of managing everything at once – career, being a mother, and daughter, and handling everything at home. When you try to do everything, it tends to take a toll on your mental health. It becomes stressful and you end up ignoring your mental health. All of this can impact you psychologically, says Dr Mehta.

“Women feel the burden of duty and responsibility of having to do and follow the norms of the festivities. They are expected to take lead right from planning to buying, execution, and preparation till the final product is achieved. It can be right from cleaning up the house for festivities to deciding various things in preparation till the ritual is over. Quite often a tedious task, however, the woman of the house will work tirelessly for days. This can physically and mentally drain and tire while trying to keep up with the expectations and eventually impact psychologically,” he avers.

While the expectations will always remain, it is entirely on you how you handle the stress. “Women need to understand their bodies and learn to care for their health. Today’s busy lifestyle not only burdens the body physically but also causes a severe psychological impact.”

How to handle stress during the festivities?

First things first, you need to divide the work so that you are not the only one feeling the pressure. Once you have done that, here are some tips from Dr Mehta to help you avoid stress and enjoy the festivities to the fullest.

1. Be objective about the situation

Don’t let the burden of work ruin your celebrations. While celebrations themselves can help improve your mental health, it is important to focus on yourself as well. So, seek help if you need to. Try to divide the work so that you don’t feel pressured. Find some ‘me’ time to relax post-festivities. Meditation, walking and breathing exercises can also help you relax.

2. Have a ritual

Having a schedule helps you to organise the outside world with the internal world. How you start and end the day is very important. Prepare your mind in the morning and say that you will be proactive today.

3. Don’t shy away from support

When we are expected to be giving, loving, and doing; ensure that you get the same back by talking and seeking support from family or people around you. Have a positive talk with your family. Let them know if anything is stressing you out.