How to take care of your physical and mental health during the holidays

During the holiday season, many people will be gathering with family and friends, whether it’s a work party, a get-together with friends, or a still evening at home watching holiday movies. While enjoyable, these events can disrupt your hearty habits.

AND last examination reported that almost 45 per cent of people take a break from exercise over the holidays, with more than half admitting to feeling more tired and having less time for themselves, and around a third admitting to drinking more alcohol.

My research focuses on the benefits of healthy lifestyle ON physical and mental health. Many of these hearty behaviors can facilitate you get through the holidays.

Eat properly

Cakes, chocolates, spiced ham, turkey stuffing, mulled wine and other delicacies are ample during this time of year. Most of these products are high in fat, sugar and calories. It is no wonder that the holidays are associated with greater food consumption. And one study even found that eating nearly 6,000 calories on Christmas Day. That’s two to three times the recommended daily calorie intake for most people.

With so much food, there are many claims that the holidays cause weight gain. Although there is a persistent rumor that The average weight gain during the holiday season is five to ten pounds (2.25 to 4.5 kilograms), in reality it may be much less. A study published in 2000 showed that it is only about one poundor about half a kilogram. However, because this was an average amount, there were still people in the study who gained five or more pounds.

While indulging once or twice won’t ruin your diet, if you have a cycle of holiday events, you may want to develop a strategy for managing your diet. First, consider whether you need (or want) to attend all of them.

When it comes to events you go to, choose one or two occasions where you will allow yourself to indulge. This could be the best food or your closest friends and family are present. For other events, try to stick to the healthier side of things.

Before you go, make sure you eat well the day before the event so you don’t go hungry. Also, make sure you get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can make you more likely to reach for high energy products and eat more.

Try to involve a health buddy, whether a friend or even a host, to keep you on track. And watch out for alcohol consumption, which can erode your self-discipline.

Staying lively

When it comes to exercise, most of us are creatures of habit. That’s a good thing because having Routine is the best way to maintain regular exercise. But the holidays are not routine. Gyms, pools and community centers may have reduced hours or be closed. Your trainer or aerobics instructor may have taken a vacation.

Now, skipping a few exercise sessions won’t affect your fitness and long-term health, but it can affect your mood. It’s a known fact that exercise increase energy levels, improve your mood AND reduce stress. All of this can be helpful during the hectic holiday season. And skipping a workout session can be like skipping your morning coffee.

But the holidays also bring many opportunities to indulge in a variety of activities, from shopping and going to Christmas markets to walking around the neighborhood and looking at decorations.

You can also get into the holiday spirit by singing Christmas carols (or other songs). Singing can reduce anxietypotentially increase lung capacity AND increase the number of infection-fighting molecules in the blood. And singing with others is known to build social bonds and release oxytocinwhat can improve your mood.

While the quality of your singing is irrelevant to most of these benefits, the more you sing, the more benefits you get.

Coping with stress

Almost 90 percent of adults in the United States associate the holiday season with some form of stress. While the holidays should be a time of joy, it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by shopping, event planning, other people’s expectations, and additional financial costs.

This may be one of the reasons why the number heart attacks and heart disease-related deaths enhance during the holiday season. It is also believed that people delay seeking treatment during the holiday season, given that the number of emergency room visits increases after they are completed.

Stress comes when people feel they have no control over what is happening. Making a holiday plan can facilitate. Your plan can include a budget for expenses, events you will attend and events you will not attend. If you are hosting a dinner party, plan the menu in advance, ask others for facilitate, or even order takeout.

Other strategies to manage and prevent stress include exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, avoiding unrealistic expectations, and taking time out to do something just for yourself.

While we all want everything to be perfect, even the best laid plans can go awry. If that happens, it’s okay to be gentle with yourself. If the holidays seem tough, make sure you let the people around you know they have your back.