As the countdown to Christmas begins, the tunes on the radio take a familiar turn, with songs about Frosty the Snowman, and how Santa Claus is comin' to town being overplayed. For some, festive songs make them excited about the holidays and spending time with those they love, or just having a much-deserved break from work, but not everyone feels this way. And sometimes hearing these songs play over and over can have an effect on an individual’s mental health.
Not everyone loves Christmas songs, and that may be in part because they are overplayed (especially if they start too early), and this is something which we should be more mindful about. Clinical psychologist Linda Blair told Sky News (via Daily Mail) that for some, the overplaying of these tunes can be overwhelming and draining. “It might make us feel that we’re trapped — it’s a reminder that we have to buy presents, cater for people, and organize celebrations,” she explained. This only adds to the stress that many people already feel during this time, and can trigger a negative response.
According to Blair, the draining feeling is especially true for those who work in retail. The employees end up having to spend so much energy trying to tune out the music to focus, and Blair says, "You're simply spending all of your energy trying not to hear what you're hearing.”
If you hate hearing “Santa Baby” and feel grumpy when it comes on the radio for the 100th time, then you’re not alone. A 2011 Consumer Reports survey asked people what they dread most about the holidays, and found that 23 percent felt dread over holiday music.
Overall, a much higher number of people experience stress during the holidays, as 90 percent of respondents shared that there was at least one thing that left them feeling stressed.
And according to Daily Mail, the American Psychiatric Association has also noted that “61 percent of people experience stress during the Christmas season."
[Image via Shutterstock]