With the holidays quickly approaching, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed, which is why it’s important to learn these wellness tips for surviving the holidays. From the experts at Johns Hopkins Medicine, the American Heart Association, and the Wellness Center of Plymouth, learn their recommendations on how to make your holidays better and brighter!
6 Wellness Tips for Surviving the Holidays
1. Continue Healthy Habits
Even though the holidays can definitely change up your normal routine, do your best to try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep, limit the amount of sweets you eat, and be mindful of your alcohol consumption. It’s easy to overdo it during the holidays, especially when there are parties to attend and family to see.
2. Be Mindful of What You Eat.
Let’s face it, almost all of us go overboard with our food intake over the holidays. So, instead of restricting yourself from some of grandma’s homemade cookies or beating yourself up for actually eating6 of them, try to be mindful by balancing out your splurges with a healthy breakfast and, if possible, healthier snacks than the treats that are normally around over the holidays.
3. Stay Active
Another simple way to keep your personal wellness in check is to try your best to stay active. Whether it be a brisk walk in the afternoon with the family or a yoga class for just yourself, remaining at least a little more active during the holidays should balance out any stress you may put upon yourself regarding your holiday eating habits.
4. Don’t Compare Yourself
Over the holidays, we tend to see friends, family, and other acquaintances we may have not seen in a while. That being said, it’s in our nature to compare ourselves to others, so try to remember that you don’t need to validate your existence by measuring yourself against others.
5. Remember the Reason for the Season
It’s also an easy time to get frustrated with family and other things like long lines and traffic. So if you find yourself in a situation where things become tense or stressful, remember to take a few deep breaths to stay calm and collected. You can’t change how others act during the stresses of the holiday season, but you can change how you respond to situations:
6. Make Attainable Resolutions
Most of us make New Year’s resolutions that we seem to never really follow through on. This is an easy way to set yourself up for failure. In order to help keep your personal wellness in check, start small with your resolutions, making ones that are easy to obtain so you can feel good about yourself when you reach that goal. Remember that you are in control of your own happiness.
For more information on how to manage your mental health during the holidays, contact the Wellness Center of Plymouth or schedule an appointment today.
