The holidays can be stressful for many of us. Between finals, grades, college apps, financial concerns, loneliness, and family strain, there’s no shortage of stressors to up the ante. If you’re already having a hard time, hearing “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” blaring over store speakers is decidedly unhelpful. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 64% of people who struggle with their mental health say the holidays make their mental health worse.

In light of these realities, the mindfulness company Calm has teamed up with U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy on a series of free tools to support mental health during these challenging times, Fortune Magazine reports. The free “Mindfulness Tools” series, available December 1 on Calm and YouTube, includes “five sessions on easing holiday stress, combating loneliness, navigating hectic days, and dealing with uncertainty, change, and negativity in the world.” The short meditations are designed to provide brief “moments of peace.”

What is mindfulness?

According to the Oxford Languages Dictionary, mindfulness is a “mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging  and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.” The Mayo Clinic puts it this way: “Mindfulness is a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you’re sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment. Practicing mindfulness involves breathing methods, guided imagery, and other practices to relax the body and mind and help reduce stress.”

What can mindfulness do for you?

Used as a therapeutic technique, it has positive impacts on mental health. According to the American Psychological Association, “psychologists have found that mindfulness meditation changes our brain and biology in positive ways, improving mental and physical health.” Researchers reviewing over 200 studies have shown that mindfulness-based therapy is effective at reducing stress, anxiety and depression. Regularly practicing mindfulness can also improve sleep and mood.

The tools are free. They only take a minute. Why not try one and see how you feel?

How to ease holiday stress: take a moment to reflect. Tap into a sense of gratitude to shift your mood and perspective.

How to combat loneliness: try this loving-kindness practice to reconnect with some sources of kindness and support in your life.

How to get through a hectic day: learn how to activate the senses and center yourself in moments of overwhelm.

How to deal with change and uncertainty: practice a simple breathing exercise to relax and ground yourself when you are feeling anxious.

How to deal with negativity in the world: spend a little time letting your mind settle. Try a short meditation, and learn to watch your thoughts come and go without judgment.

Read the full article here.

Access the tools on YouTube.

Fields, Jennifer. “Mindfulness app Calm has teamed up with the U.S. Surgeon General on a new series to help ease your end-of-year anxiety.” Fortune.com, 1 Dec 2022, https://fortune.com/well/2022/12/01/mindfulness-app-calm-has-teamed-up-with-the-u-s-surgeon-general-on-a-new-series-to-help-ease-your-end-of-year-anxiety/?xid=soc_socialflow_twitter_FORTUNE&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fortunemagazine.