Holiday Health Tips

The holiday season is officially here and we’re sharing our top holiday health tips to staying healthy and feeling good. Now is the time to rest, recharge and reconnect, to get ready for a wonderful year ahead.

Take the time to sleep

Sleeping well is key to good health. When we have enough energy we are able to make better decisions about what we eat, what exercise we do and how we interact with other people. Take the time this holiday season to really rest and sleep well. If there is one new years resolution you should be making and sticking to for 2017, it’s to sleep more and sleep better. There is no shame in taking naps during the holidays, it is an effective way to restore the body both physically and mentally. Research suggests a 20 minute nap improves alertness, increases productivity, provides stress release and helps control appetite.

Carve out time each day to simply sit and breathe

Try and take a few minutes each day for a little mindful breathing. It will help with stress-relief, as well as switching on your parasympathetic nervous system (the rest and digest state – perfect for christmas feasts)! A little mindfulness can also help combat stress and improve sleep.

Crowd out the bad stuff

The holiday season is full of wonderful eating and drinking opportunities. Unfortunately so often we go into these occasions with such extreme mind sets. Either we are super strict with ourselves and decide we aren’t going to eat anything – causing a whole heap of stress and anxiety around what is “ok” to eat. Or we decide it is the holiday season so we are just going to eat everything, then we give ourselves a hard time for splurging. There is a middle ground and it takes some practice to get there, but once you find it you can loose the anxiety and guilt, and just enjoy being in the moment. You don’t need to cut out the ‘naughty’ food altogether, just crowd it out with an extra serving of salad to fill you up, that way when the dessert does come round you can take a little less as you will be full from your earlier healthier choices. If you are going to eat dessert then keep the portions smaller, eat slower and really enjoy each mouthful.

Make exercise a group activity

The best thing about the holiday season is that so many family and friends also have time off work. Take this as an opportunity to get outdoors together for some group activities. Summer is the perfect time for some backyard cricket, touch football or beach walks. Incorporating movement and exercise into your holiday break will not only help you feel more balanced with all the holiday eating, but also release all those wonderful endorphins to help boost your mood and holiday spirit.

Switch off once in a while

Make the time this holiday season to switch off your phone, shut down the computer and turn off the TV. Disconnect from technology and reconnect with nature. It will leave you feeling less stressed, up your Vitamin D levels and enjoy the holidays season with your family without distractions. We have all year to be online and connected with technology, make this time extra special by taking a break from technology.

Schedule your check ups

The holiday season is such a great time to look at the year ahead, plan and set some intentions. Stay on top of your health and plan your regular check up with your doctor, dentist and health care professionals. By organising these check ups early you’ll have a clear direction for how to better your health for the year ahead.

For more holiday health tips click here.

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