Navratri 2025: Already feeling drained from celebrations this festive season? Psychologists reveal top tips to cope
Navratri 2025: Non-stop food, parties and responsibilities of rituals may be overwhelming. Check these tips on how to cope and celebrate stress-free.
Navratri 2025: The festive season is jam-packed with parties. The calendar is brimming with back-to-back celebrations and gatherings with friends and family. While it is fun, there's also a saturation point. The non-stop socialising, feasting, high-calorie foods, dancing and loud music can take a toll on health.
Additionally, there are numerous responsibilities, such as performing rituals, hosting guests, and more. What is the way forward then? Knowing your limits and planning. To make festive parties not weigh you down, HT Lifestyle reached out to psychologists who shared their expert insights and hacks on how to make the entire experience more manageable.
How to reduce festive fatigue?
While usually festive celebration is joyous, sometimes it may weigh you down instead. According to Dr Navodita Kumar, clinical psychologist at Apollo Clinic, Chandanagar, Hyderabad, constant celebration can become a ‘chore.’ The reason? Dr Kumar pointed at ‘expectation’ to drive this festive fatigue.
She said, “Festivals have raised very high expectations from ourselves and others. A working professional will dash from the office to attend a puja, while the housewife feels judged if her sweets or decorations are not good enough. Because of this, social media aids in contributing to the burden by posting perfect celebrations.”
{{/usCountry}}She said, “Festivals have raised very high expectations from ourselves and others. A working professional will dash from the office to attend a puja, while the housewife feels judged if her sweets or decorations are not good enough. Because of this, social media aids in contributing to the burden by posting perfect celebrations.”
{{/usCountry}}Women bear the most pressure, as Dr Kumar highlighted. They host guests back-to-back or manage rituals alone. They multitask a lot.
{{/usCountry}}Women bear the most pressure, as Dr Kumar highlighted. They host guests back-to-back or manage rituals alone. They multitask a lot.
{{/usCountry}}To ensure the celebrations stay healthy, Dr Kumar suggested:
{{/usCountry}}To ensure the celebrations stay healthy, Dr Kumar suggested:
{{/usCountry}}1. Plan ahead: Instead of loading up a day with tasks, stagger them, prep in advance, simplify to only essential rituals, and order up small tasks. Festivals are about coming together, not trying to be perfect.
{{/usCountry}}1. Plan ahead: Instead of loading up a day with tasks, stagger them, prep in advance, simplify to only essential rituals, and order up small tasks. Festivals are about coming together, not trying to be perfect.
{{/usCountry}}2. Prioritise rest: It's common to forget rest during this time, but it feeds irritability and battles. As we organise pujas and parties, let's organise downtime as well, a nap, conscious breathing.
{{/usCountry}}2. Prioritise rest: It's common to forget rest during this time, but it feeds irritability and battles. As we organise pujas and parties, let's organise downtime as well, a nap, conscious breathing.
{{/usCountry}}3. Share the load: Women do most of the holiday work in most families. Adding children to decorating, men to shopping or guest pickups, and the elderly to herding rituals helps make parties more enjoyable and less tiring.
A formula to avoid festive multitasking
Much of the festive chaos comes from multitasking. Dr Kumar also pointed this out, saying how women especially bear many responsibilities.
Similarly, Rutuja Varade at Mpower, Aditya Birla Education Trust, a psychologist, also agreed that festive responsibility makes us “cranky even.” She said, “Festivals are festive, and then there is the issue of responsibility. We need to work, take care of household chores, and attend social outings at the same time. All this makes us cranky, procrastinate, and less productive.”
To beat all the overwhelming frenzy, Rutuja shared a handy formula to reduce stress:
P – Practice deep breathing: Ensures the mind is peaceful before rituals or meetings.
L – Light exercise: A short walk keeps energy up.
E – Engage with music: Upbeat music can enhance mood and regain concentration.
A – Actively participate: Group activity like preparing prasad or decoration helps keep in touch.
S – Socialise and connect: Social interaction and conversation with friends or family members serve as a buffer against tension.
E – Eliminate Procrastination: Advance preparation of work prevents a last-minute mess.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
