As the holiday shopping season kicks into high gear, malls look a lot like battlegrounds as people elbow their way through crowds in search of that perfect gift.

Retailers may welcome it, but for many the holidays can be equally taxing on the mind and body, as well as the wallet.

According to a recent British study, a significant number of people experience a great deal of stress during those holiday shopping excursions.

The University of East London, in partnership with Moneysupermarket Shopping, found holiday shopping increased blood pressure to dangerous levels in 50 per cent of consumers.

Unbelievable.

It's silly to think a person could actually risk dying searching for a gift.

It kind of makes you wonder how superficial we can be sometimes.

Researchers asked 15 men and 15 women to purchase a variety of gifts within 75 minutes.

Interestingly, and perhaps not so surprisingly, the men felt twice as stressed post shopping, while women were almost three times as stressed.

Researchers say heart rates can jump by an average of 10 per cent during holiday shopping, which can lead to hypertension, which in turn can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Even very low levels of hypertension are linked to migraines and panic attacks.

Can you image having a coronary over buying a video game, play set, perfume or jewelry?

Seems strange but it happens.

The idea of people dying in retail stores kind of puts the whole holiday madness thing into perspective. Family finances can be a source of turmoil for people, particularly now with the cooling economy.

Retail stores may be much less crowded this year (one U.S. research firm has predicted a 9.9 per cent drop as shoppers as a result of low consumer confidence) and it is totally plausible that people can get a little down on the idea of not being able to afford to splurge on gifts for loved ones.

Relax, take in a mouthful of air and remember, the holidays are supposed to be a happy time.

It is an opportunity to stop and take stock of the important things in life: love, family and charity.

No gift can surpass those things in terms of value.

For those intent on emptying their wallets this season, it's a good idea to have a plan and keep expectations reasonable.

Obsessive holiday shopping can stem from unrealistic expectations about how important it is to find the perfect gift.

Do your best.

And if that's not good enough, make sure to include the bill with the gift for returns.

With respect to time, be a smart shopper and get things done early.

A lot of people get the holiday shopping experience over and done with weeks a head of schedule, and with good reason.

Procrastination and high expectations can also turn the best of intensions (finding a great gift for that special someone) into a dreadful experience.

So it's a good idea to allot a healthy amount of calendar time to shopping.

If the whole mall experience drives you nuts, my advice would be to take the easy route, kick up your feet and shop online.

Happy holidays.