The holidays are coming — just what we all need. More stress in a stressful world.

Many people get very stressed during seasons such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day, and stress is not helpful. For your emotional and mental wellness you need to relax. You deserve it, it’s good for you and it takes less time than you think.

Here are a few ideas for coping:

A few minutes of practice per day can help ease anxiety. It’s simple. Sit up straight with both feet on the floor. Close your eyes. Focus your attention on reciting — out loud or silently — a positive mantra such as “I feel at peace” or “I love myself.” Let any distracting thoughts float by like clouds.

Take a five-minute break and focus on your breathing. Sit up straight, eyes closed, with a hand on your belly. Slowly inhale through your nose, feeling the breath start in your abdomen and work its way to the top of your head. Reverse the process as you exhale through your mouth.

Slow down. Take five minutes and focus on one thing. Your breathing, your hand, the sun on the mountain. When you spend time in the moment and focus on your senses, you should feel less tense.

Your social network is one of your best tools for handling stress. Talk to others — preferably face to face, or at least on the phone. Share what’s going on. You can get a fresh perspective while keeping your connection strong.

Mentally scan your body to get a sense of how stress affects it each day. Lie on your back or sit with your feet on the floor. Start at your toes and work your way up to your scalp, noticing how your body feels. Simply be aware of places you feel tight or relaxed. Then, for one or two minutes, imagine each deep breath flowing to any place that is tense.

Place a warm heat wrap around your neck and shoulders for 10 minutes. Close your eyes and relax your face, neck, upper chest and back muscles. Laugh! A good belly laugh doesn’t just lighten the load mentally. It lowers cortisol, your body’s stress hormone, and boosts brain chemicals called endorphins, which help your mood. Lighten up by tuning in to your favorite sitcom or video, reading the comics or chatting with someone who makes you smile.

Research shows that listening to soothing music can lower blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety. Create a playlist of songs or nature sounds. You also can blow off steam by rocking out to more upbeat tunes — or singing at the top of your lungs.

You don’t have to run in order to get a runner’s high. All forms of exercise, including yoga and walking, can ease depression and anxiety by helping the brain release feel-good chemicals and by giving your body a chance to practice dealing with stress.

Keep a gratitude journal to help you remember all the things that are good in your life. Use these journals to savor good experiences like a child’s smile, a sunshine-filled day and good health. Don’t forget to celebrate accomplishments like mastering a new task at work or a new hobby.

If all the stresses of the upcoming holiday season are troubling you, please call Wallowa Valley Center for Wellness at 541-426-4524. We have experts who can help you learn to manage stress and make it through the coming holidays with joy.

Stephen Kliewer is Director Emeritus for Wallowa Valley Center for Wellness.