7 Healthcast: Holiday stress

Even before the tree goes up Americans are stressed- a third call it extreme.

And psychologists say, the holidays make it worse.

"There are added pressures to spend money, to spend time with family, to travel, to decorate, to do all those those things to an already busy life," said Dr. Dan Abrahamson of the American Psychological Association.

So the coping methods kick in: from comfort food and shopping, debt's another stressor, to foregoing healthy things, like sleep and exercise.

"Stress and the ways that people cope with it is becoming a national health problem because it is contributing to chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes," Dr. Abrahamson said.

The prescription we've heard before: simplify.

Memorable traditions can take little time or money.

"Baking cookies together as a family, those are the things kids remember," Dr. Abrahamson said. "The sights, the smells, that's what kids love. And that doesn't have to cost anything."

Least of all, peace of mind.

So if you're still shopping for that perfect gift, keep in mind that something that helps you relax, like getting dinner delivered or a night of baby-sitting, might just be the best thing to find under the tree.

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