Health for the Holidays

With expectations of social gatherings, gift-giving, entertaining and time spent with family, the holidays are filled with equal amounts of obligation, anticipation, joy and stress.

On top of that, ongoing COVID-19 concerns are adding to an already overwhelming season. Maintaining physical and mental health is a solid strategy to experiencing the best version of this celebratory, holiday-packed season.

Happy, Healthy Holidays

Health is more than the absence of disease. It’s the state of one’s physical, mental and social well-being, which are all linked. How people feel can affect their ability to carry out daily activities. Conversely, the daily activities people choose to engage in can affect how they feel.

But what can a person do to stay healthy? From simple lifestyle practices to overarching practical advice: the following recommendations can help an individual get through the holidays feeling happier and healthier.

Stress Management

“Stress is the first thing I think about when I think of the holidays,” Rachel DuPaul says. She is a licensed psychologist with Better Balance Psychology. “Stress is chronic in our society, and we have physical responses to too much stress like muscle tension, difficulty breathing, aches and pains, and loss of appetite or overeating.”

The holidays bring additional sources of anxiety in the form of financial worries or even trying to uphold unrealistic expectations. In addition to the stress, seasonal obligations can sabotage a person’s routine of self-care. Shopping, entertaining and staying up late for social events tend to derail workout schedules, personal downtime and otherwise healthy eating habits, all of which are excellent coping mechanisms for stress.

“Prioritize your holiday schedule in a way that prioritizes your health and wellness,” DuPaul says. “Accept offers of help. Do what you can to reduce pressure and responsibility. Then use that time to get in a workout, relax or go to bed earlier.”

Eat for Nutrition

Setting aside how overly processed, sugary foods are linked to chronic inflammation, insulin resistance and obesity, there are other reasons to eat healthy. In her efforts to help clients, DuPaul has found significant amounts of research exploring how the mind and body are connected in more ways than not, especially between the mind and gut microbiota. Referred to as the gut-brain axis or gut-brain connection in medical literature, the findings make a compelling case for eating nutritious food.

“Research has found that gut bacteria make 95% of our serotonin and 50% of our dopamine,” DuPaul says. “That is mind blowing!”

Serotonin is the chemical messenger attributed to acting as a mood stabilizer and believed to help produce healthy sleeping patterns. Dopamine is connected to overall energy levels, as well as cognitive function, such as being able to concentrate and stay focused. The National Institutes for Health recommends eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts to bring different fibers and nutrients into your body . . . and gut.

Get Regular Sleep

Remember how serotonin is attributed to healthier sleeping patterns? Sleep is critical to good health any time of the year, especially at the holidays.

The proximity to people at social gatherings and being indoors due to colder weather increases a person’s risk of contracting the flu, COVID-19 or other illnesses. This risk increases dramatically if a person is not vaccinated, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sleep is good for immunity. The CDC links sleep to repairing tissues and fighting off infections. Inadequate sleep reduces production of antibodies and the proper functioning of cells that attack viruses and cancer cells. It also increases the body’s inflammatory response system.

Additionally, a person’s ability to resist those tempting holiday treats is also linked to sleep. Inadequate sleep can increase one’s appetite leading to overeating and impaired mental functioning. According to the CDC, an adult requires seven or more hours of sleep per night.

Set Boundaries

DuPaul has found that, for her patients, holiday family get-togethers can be a huge source of anxiety due to societal expectations.

“When it comes to family gatherings, not everyone likes it and not everyone has fun,” she says. “They can bring up anxiety, past traumas, current pain and funky family dynamics.”

In comparison to past years, DuPaul anticipates the 2021 holiday season will be, as she puts it, “on steroids,” due to COVID-related vaccination beliefs.

Instead of letting negative emotions take control of a family gathering, DuPaul encourages individuals to set their boundaries and respect those boundaries established by others. In some cases, that boundary may mean a person chooses not to attend a gathering out of health concerns or to avoid feeling guilted into eating certain foods.

“Focus on what you can control, which are your own actions,” she says.