stress schmess.

With two weeks left to go, are you still enjoying the season? or are you freaking?

I feel fairly well-prepared, but still find myself at the edge of overwhelm a few times a day. I dial it back a notch by breathing — full, deep breaths — and listing. I’m a lister, so getting it out of my head and onto a piece of paper provides relief.

Here are some tips from stress-relief experts that might provide you with some of the same relief:

Treat yourself. All that hustling and bustling can drain you. Psychologist Alice Domar suggests for every ten gifts you buy for others, you give yourself a little indulgence — nothing expensive, just a pick-me-up. She also recommends retaining a regular exercise regimen and carving out time for a movie date with your partner, a candlelit soak in the bath or a solitary evening of soothing music.

Eat mini-meals. The positive effects of stress-reducing foods (low- or no-fat carbohydrates) last just a handful of hours, so nutritional biochemist Judith Wurtman suggests eating several mini-meals or small snacks throughout the day rather than just a couple of big ones. But be careful to keep your total calories about the same.

Don’t break the bank. It takes an average of four months for American charge-card users to pay off stress-inducing holiday bills. Eric Brown of the nonprofit Center for a New American Dream suggests making a per-person budget before you begin buying. Put each individual’s budgeted gift amount — in cash — into an envelope with his/her name on it. When the envelope’s empty, you’re done, no exceptions.

Remember the reason for the season. Some folks find the holiday harrowing because it seems devoid of its authentic meaning. Biological sciences and neurology professor Robert Sapolsky recommends spending the time and energy to reaffirm what the spirit of the season really means to you, whether it’s about family, community or religion.

For more seasonal stress-busting tips from these experts of equilibrium, you can read the feature “Beat Holiday Stress, Survive the Frenzy” at www.webmd.com/content/article/11/1674_51166.htm.