Navigating Holiday Stress: Tips for a Peaceful Festive Season

Navigating holiday stress

Discover how to recognize and handle your stress

For many, the conclusion of the year signifies a time of reflection and jubilation. We each possess our own cherished customs, often gathering with friends and family to concentrate on what truly matters with those we hold dear. The holiday season represents warmth, generosity, and unity. However, it can also become a source of tension.

We all encounter stress in our everyday lives. A certain level of challenge is beneficial. When that stress escalates, though, our well-being can start to decline. Our bodies signal us when we’re under pressure. If you’re feeling stressed, you might:

• Struggle to focus.
• Feel apprehensive and anxious.
• Experience a sense of being “on edge”—with clammy hands, racing heart, and tight muscles.
• Display irritability toward others.
• Feel fatigued.

These are not the sole indicators of stress, but they are prevalent ones. This holiday season, whether you’re traveling or playing host, preparing for celebrations or hunting for presents, remain aware of your emotions. The weight of responsibilities and expectations can transform even the most joyful events into stressful experiences.

If you do find yourself feeling stressed, there are constructive approaches to manage it, and VA is here to assist. There isn’t a singular method to deal with stress, as each individual and situation differs. Nevertheless, certain healthy habits can ease the process. You can talk with your VA care team about your stress and ways to manage it. They can help you devise a strategy and connect you with resources that can truly make a difference.

One such resource is the Manage Stress Workbook. It was created to aid Veterans in identifying and coping with stress. The Workbook features advice to monitor your stress, pinpoint its origins, and cultivate healthy habits. Engaging in mindfulness, staying physically active, and scheduling enjoyable activities can all contribute to stress management, and the Workbook includes tools to assist.

It’s vital to keep in mind that while you may not have control over the sources of your stress, you can influence how you respond to that stress. If you face stress during this holiday season, remember that you possess tools and channels to aid in managing it. This way, you can fully relish the traditions that hold significance for you alongside those you cherish most.

Additional information

VA’s National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention has a dedicated online platform for resources to help you identify and address stress. You can explore these tools on VA’s Manage Stress website.

The Veterans Crisis Line is available 24/7 to provide confidential crisis support for Veterans and their families. To reach trained VA personnel, you can dial 988 then press 1, text 838255, or chat online.

A healthy mind, body, and spirit can facilitate coping with stress. Visit the VA App Store for free applications designed to support your wellness throughout this holiday season and beyond.

“Nations Unite: Advancing Toward Health Care Access for 1.5 Billion People”

 Advancement Towards Goal of Delivering Health Care to 1.5 Billion People Progresses as Nations Embrace National Health Agreements

Reforms target the enhancement of primary care, increasing affordability, and fostering job-rich economic growth.

Today, nations and partners have reported ongoing strides toward the World Bank Group’s target—established in April 2024—aimed at providing accessible, quality health services to 1.5 billion individuals by 2030. Riding on this wave of progress, 15 nations have rolled out National Health Agreements, detailing actionable, five-year reforms intended to widen primary health care access, enhance affordability, and promote employment-intensive economic development.

Since the announcement of the goal, the World Bank Group and its partners have aided countries in reaching 375 million individuals with quality and affordable health care. Efforts are now in progress with approximately 45 nations to implement proven primary care strategies that not only improve health outcomes but also generate jobs within health workforces, local supply chains, and allied industries.

This advancement occurs amid governments grappling with aging demographics, increasing chronic diseases, and financial strains. The 2025 Global Monitoring Report—unveiled today at the Tokyo Universal Health Coverage High-Level Forum—reveals that 4.6 billion individuals lack access to essential health services, while 2.1 billion experience financial distress due to health expenditures. Such issues highlight the urgent need for sustainable, coordinated reforms to help countries develop more robust and equitable health systems.

“Resilient primary health systems do more than protect health—they create jobs and economic prospects,” stated the World Bank Group President. Countries are moving forward with clear goals, and we are working with them to offer solutions that are both effective and easy to scale. When initiatives converge on effective strategies, the impact amplifies.”

National Health Agreements: Practical, Nation-Led Strategies

In Tokyo, the 15 participating nations revealed National Health Agreements endorsed at the highest government levels. These Agreements align Health and Finance Ministries around measurable objectives, serve as a framework for coordinated efforts, and guide developmental partners in accordance with nation-led priorities. The reforms are concentrated on three primary domains: enhancing the availability and quality of primary care, boosting financial protections, and fortifying the health workforce.

Nations have pledged to secure new funding, expand and digitally upgrade their health workforce, modernize healthcare facilities, broaden insurance coverage, and utilize digital tools to enhance service delivery. Noteworthy examples include:

Investing in integrated, service-ready facilities

• The Philippines is establishing digital links among health facilities nationwide.
• Uzbekistan is streamlining processes through digitization to reduce workloads by 30%.
• Sierra Leone intends for every citizen to have access to quality primary care within five kilometers, planning the construction of 300 new facilities and equipping 1,800 with solar power and digital connections.

Diversifying primary care delivery

• Bangladesh is enhancing multi-platform primary care models backed by updated regulations and digital tools.
• Indonesia is expanding digital primary care, linking over 600 facilities to hospitals via telemedicine to provide services closer to patients' homes.

Digitally empowering and reinforcing the health workforce

• Ethiopia aims to equip at least 40% of primary health facilities with digital tools to assist in clinical care and workforce management.
• Saint Lucia is investing in a skilled, digitally competent workforce and modernizing regulations and education through regional collaboration.

Eliminating financial hurdles to care

• Kenya plans to double public health spending over five years to achieve 5% of GDP and broaden social health insurance coverage from 26% to 85%, offering full subsidies for vulnerable groups.
• Morocco will extend mandatory health insurance to an extra 22 million individuals.

Encouraging regional manufacturing of health products and technologies

• Nigeria will train 10,000 professionals in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, establish Centers of Excellence, and provide tax incentives to boost local production of vaccines, medicines, diagnostics, and health technologies.

Supporting National Priorities Through Partnerships and Financing

Achieving the 1.5 billion goal relies on coordinated collaboration. To assist nations in progressing their National Health Agreements and broader reforms:

• The World Bank Group, Gavi, and the Global Fund have announced synchronized financing, including $2 billion co-financed by each entity.
• Philanthropic partners—operating through the Global Financing Facility and the Health Systems Transformation and Resilience Fund—are mobilizing up to $410 million in philanthropic support to catalyze even greater financial commitments to essential health sectors.
• Seed Global Health is collaborating with nations that have introduced compacts to build capacity and offer insights for assessments, planning, and policy formulation, focusing on advanced health workforce development.
• Japan, a longstanding advocate for universal health coverage, along with the United Kingdom and others, is providing technical assistance to facilitate the implementation of reforms in countries.

To enhance knowledge exchange, Japan, WHO, and the World Bank Group have established the Universal Health Coverage Knowledge Hub, aimed at providing nations with practical, evidence-based solutions and facilitating peer learning.

The Universal Health Coverage High-Level Forum—co-hosted by the Government of Japan, WHO, and the World Bank Group—brought together ministers of health and finance, business leaders, philanthropists, global health organizations, and civil society.

The nations that announced National Health Agreements today are Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Indonesia, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Syria, Tajikistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Zambia. View all National Health Agreements here.

“6 Must-Follow Tips for a Healthier, Stronger You in 2026”

 6 crucial pointers for a healthier lifestyle in 2026

As we near the new year, consider adopting a few straightforward yet impactful practices to bolster your health.

Here are some vital suggestions to help you sustain a more wholesome lifestyle throughout 2026:

Embrace a nutrient-dense diet

Incorporate vegetables, legumes, nuts, fruits, and whole grains into your daily meals, prepared in a healthy manner.

Adhering to a nutritious diet sets the foundation for a vibrant life ahead, as it reduces inflammation and mitigates the risk of various ailments, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Restrict salt and sugar consumption

To avoid heart conditions, unwarranted weight gain, and to uphold a healthy way of living, it’s important to limit your intake of salt and sugar.

Reduce saturated fats

Ensure that fats comprise less than 30% of your total daily caloric intake.

Opt for unsaturated fats from fish, nuts, and plant oils instead of the saturated and trans fats prevalent in fatty meats, butter, and processed snacks.

Quit smoking

Tobacco use is harmful to health, leading to a multitude of serious illnesses and adversely affecting non-smokers as well, as it depletes essential iron and vitamins in your body, which include Vitamins C, B, A, and E.

Ceasing smoking is the sole pathway to reaping long-term health benefits.

Engage in regular physical activity

It is highly recommended to partake in at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week, increasing to 300 minutes for added advantages.

Keep track of blood pressure

Hypertension is a “silent killer,” severely impacting your body’s vital organs. Therefore, it’s advisable to regularly monitor your blood pressure to facilitate early detection and management.

What Your Sleep Posture Says About Your Mind

 What Your Sleep Posture Reveals About Your Psychological

Some TikTok influencers assert that specific sleep postures, such as the “mountain climber” or “flamingo,” indicate elevated stress or emotional strain.

Although intriguing, this notion lacks robust scientific validation.

Contemporary studies concentrate on sleep quality and its correlation with physical and mental well-being. One investigation found that side sleeping might aid the brain in eliminating waste, potentially reducing Alzheimer’s disease risk.1

Nevertheless, experts indicate the strongest link is between stress and sleep: each can exacerbate the other, irrespective of sleep position.

How Does Stress Influence Your Sleep?

Under stress, your body activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, triggering the release of cortisol, a vital hormone in managing stress responses.

Besides regulating our sleep-wake cycle, cortisol assists in managing metabolism and mitigating inflammation. Prolonged elevated cortisol or chronic stress can disturb these functions, resulting in inflammation, persistent pain, depression, and even advancing Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.2

Cortisol levels are intended to gradually decrease throughout the day. When elevated cortisol levels persist into the night, this hormonal disruption hampers melatonin production, a hormone essential for quality sleep.3 Over time, high cortisol levels may result in sleep issues like insomnia and worsen anxiety and depression.4

This creates a detrimental loop where stress leads to poor sleep, which intensifies stress and makes restful sleep even harder to achieve.

“If you don’t experience highly efficient and uninterrupted sleep, you might develop anxiety or depression. However, individuals who receive treatment for their sleep issues often experience substantial improvements in their psychological well-being, too.

Research has shown that numerous sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, insomnia, narcolepsy, daytime drowsiness, and nightmares, are more prevalent among those facing mental health struggles.4

Neurodivergent individuals, especially those with ADHD, often encounter more significant obstacles to achieving quality sleep due to low melatonin levels at night, sensory sensitivities, or a more reactive nervous system.5

Awake and Alert! Achieve Better Sleep and Rise at the Same Hour Da

How to Alleviate Stress Before Sleep

Certain nighttime habits, such as grinding your teeth and covering your ears while asleep, might signal nervous system activation, but they don’t necessarily represent your daytime stress levels, focus on sleep medicine and an associate professor at UC Irvine, explained to Very well.

They might actually be responses to immediate physical stress. However, some disturbances during sleep, like sleepwalking, night terrors, and other movement-related issues, are frequently observed in people experiencing substantial levels of stress, noted

If stress disrupts your slumber, establishing an evening routine and incorporating relaxation techniques before bed can assist in signaling to your body that it’s time to relax.

Here are a few approaches to facilitate your body in obtaining the necessary rest:

• Keep work and daytime engagements away from the bedroom.
• Eliminate stimulating activities within three hours of bedtime.
• Engage in progressive muscle relaxation before sleeping.

With these straightforward adjustments, you can foster a more serene sleep environment, allowing both your body and space to rest and recuperate.