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I don’t know about you, but the stress of the holidays, all of the parties and the overall constant hustle and bustle can really take a toll on me, my anxiety, my diet and overall health. Here are a few health and wellness habits that I try to practice during the holidays to ensure I stay feeling healthy and focused on the things that really matter.
“Dry January”, or abstaining from alcohol for the month of January, is something I do every single year because come NYE, I feel like I could be pickled with the amount of holiday cocktails, wine and champagne have I consumed through the holiday season. This holiday season, I am working very hard at keeping my mental and physical health in check, so I am able to function the best that I can. From taking a night off from celebrating, to eating well when I am on my own, exercising and prioritizing my needs, here are some of the things that I am focusing on this holiday season (and frankly the whole year).
Making healthy choices when it comes to eating and drinking plenty of water.
The overconsumption of rich foods, sweets and festive drinks takes a toll on my body. When I am not at a holiday party, I am mindful of keeping my eating as balanced as can be. That doesn’t mean that I eat a strict, “healthy,” and restrictive diet. That means that when I can control what I am consuming, I am feeding my body what it wants and needs, just in a controlled manner. If you want the cookie, eat the damn cookie! Just make sure that you are getting enough fruits and veggies, protein and fiber to keep your body operating at its best! I also try to make sure that I get plenty of water and electrolytes in this time of year. I usually drink an appropriate amount of water and probably a lot more than most people, but this time of year I make sure I work in a little more. With all of the sweets, rich foods and alcohol that people are partaking this time of year, staying super hydrated will just make sure your body flushes out what it needs to and you will hopefully lessen that next day headache! I don’t ever tell myself “no” if I want to eat something, I don’t think that’s always the best answer either, i just remember to balance out the cookies with the veggies and proteins!
Keeping all mental health appointments and making sure to meditate.
I am someone that does my best to not cancel therapy when I get busy. Sometimes, I find myself doing that when I am bogged down on a deadline or have a million places to run around to, but I do my best to avoid skipping. Taking that one hour a week, driving to attend therapy in person (not on the virtual option), and sitting and focusing on my needs is very helpful to me. Even if I don’t have anything bad happening at the moment in my life, attending therapy gives me perspective and I always leave feeling better, more calm and less anxious. I also work to keep my meditation and mindfulness practice going during the holidays. Whether it is using a guided meditation, just listening to peaceful sounds, or sitting in silence, keeping myself grounded in this way is incredibly helpful. I have a lot of anxiety around the holidays, like a lot of people do, and making sure I remember to prioritize my mental health and well being, is a big part of reducing my holiday stress and anxiety.
I may be busy, but I make sure to exercise and move my body.
I feel so much better after a Pilates class or hitting the gym. I feel stronger, healthier, I hold my head higher and I feel accomplished when I am done with a class. The glutton that we have around the holidays can really make me feel sluggish, but getting my heart rate up and moving my body makes me feel ten times better! Do what you can, when you can. Not everyone has time to attend a class at the gym everyday, but doing your best to make your physical health a priority will make you feel so much better, I promise.
Take a nice warm bath or shower.
A new thing I have been doing is taking a nice warm bath with epsom salts that help ease my muscles and my mind. I don’t know how I survived so many years without a functioning bath tub! The nice warm soak where I can listen to light music or read a book makes me feel like a new person. I love a great glass of ice water when I am in there (I can get too overheated without) and I get out feeling so refreshed and relaxed.
I do my best to not procrastinate.
I know this one is way easier said than done, I fully understand that in a perfect world, none of us would procrastinate and we would all be on time with all of our tasks and there would simply be world peace. Perfection is just something that cannot be attained for most of us or really anyone else. You have to do your best, and work with what you have. Keeping that in mind, I remember as a kid, on Christmas Eve, my mom would lock herself in one of the rooms in our basement and wrap, all damn day and she would be so stressed out and worst of all, she wasn’t able to come upstairs and enjoy time with all of us as a family. She wasn’t always able to be a mom that balanced a life with four kids, being the primary caregiver and she did her best (I think she did a great job personally) to make sure we always had what we needed. When I got older and was tasked with buying gifts for siblings, family, friends, the nieces and nephews, I would try my best to not go through that, I would do my best to wrap early. A lot of times this is so much easier said than done. A few years ago, I started blocking out an afternoon/evening at home alone where I would put on a holiday movie and wrap to my heart’s content. I made sure I didn’t schedule anything else to do. Now, I know that I don’t have my own family at home so this is more of a luxury for me. But why couldn’t you do it, too, with 2.5 kids and a dog at home? Maybe schedule a gift wrapping party with your friends, all of you chip in to hire a few sitters and have all of the kids at one place doing Christmasy things and you and your friends, get together, grab some wine and share laughs and fellowship as you all work as the elves to make your Christmas the best!
I know that the holidays are tough for everyone, but what is something that you do to help keep yourself operating as your best during the holidays? Any tips you would share with me?
-Heather