Replaying a family quarrel in your head can help to ease rather than prolong the tension, psychologists have suggested.

Going over the details of an argument and remembering exactly what happened rather than sweeping it under the carpet or letting bad feeling fester helps keep perspective, academics at the University of Exeter said.

Prof. Ed Watkins, of the Mood Disorders Clinic at the university, said: "We often see this in an increase in referrals for treatment for depression in January and February. Staying with the details of what happens and keeping it in context can be one way to prevent these challenges of the festive season becoming something worse."