How to Have a Stress-Free Healthy Holiday Season
This time of the year can be stressful. Not only are we all super busy preparing for the Holidays but we also have to contend with colder weather, dark mornings and evenings, and those pesky cold and flu bugs that rear their head during the winter season.
However, the good news is there is a lot we can do to help ourselves feel better and in the process have a truly happy holiday season.
Look After Yourself
If you are a person who tends to burn the candle at both ends, the first step to wellness is to start looking after yourself better. This doesn’t have to be complicated nor does it entail any elaborate health and wellness plan. The basics always apply: get enough sleep; eat well, including upping your intake of fresh fruit and vegetables to boost your immunity; don’t overindulge in alcohol, caffeine or sugar; and do everything in moderation.
Yes, this is party season, and while it’s ok to treat yourself here and there; eating and drinking way too much is never a recipe for feeling good. Even simple switches can make a big difference, such as alternating every alcoholic drink with water. If you know you are going to be eating a big meal in the evening, have a simple salad or soup for lunch. This isn’t about losing weight, it’s about giving your body a rest. Digesting a lot of food can make you feel tired and sluggish— just what you don’t need when you are busy.
Don’t Put Pressure on Yourself
The Holidays are a time when we can put too much pressure on ourselves as we try to live up to what we think others expect of us. Maybe we have to deal with family members we only see occasionally, and perhaps who we don’t see eye to eye with. Excitable children, too much to do, and the idea of having a perfect Instagram- worthy Holiday season can ultimately lead to arguments, burnout and stress.
This year give yourself a break. Even those people on social media who look so perfect are burning the turkey, receiving disappointing gifts and arguing with their spouse. The Holidays are a time of joy, and that means for you too. Maybe this year that means scaling things back a bit or asking for more help from friends and family.
Live in the Moment
December can fly by in a whirl of shopping, cooking and working— leaving us very little time to stop and smell the roses. If this is true for you then make sure you have some Holiday traditions that are just for you.
Do you enjoy reading a Christmas novel? Then have a couple on hand on your nightstand and make sure you build in a few early nights each week so you can unwind. Maybe you love doing a few Holiday crafting projects? Then make this the year you leave space for hobbies. It’s easy for us all to say we don’t have the time to do the things we enjoy, but only we can make that time by dropping something else. Even the simple ritual of enjoying your first cup of tea or coffee of the day as you watch the tree lights twinkle; can set us up for a slower-paced, but more productive day. Never underestimate those moments of just focusing on what you are doing right now, rather than running through everything that has to be achieved in the next week.
Pamper Yourself
During this season we often end up doing a lot for others, and let’s be honest that can often lead to resentment. Instead, put yourself first and take time for some relaxation and pampering, I promise you it will help put a spring in your step when you return to your Holiday chores. Why not drop into Spa Rockaway for your favorite treatment in the run-up to the Holidays, or if you want something truly wonderful under your tree this year, then let friends and family know about our Gift Certificates.
By enjoying a less stressful December you will head into the New Year healthier and happier. Now isn’t that the perfect Holiday gift?
