While the holiday season is a time to look forward to, there are plenty of stressors that are part and parcel of the preparations. Even when you accept the responsibilities for making the most of the holidays for your family and friends, the extra work can run you down.
Gynecologist John A. Whitfield, MD, of Fort Worth, Texas, is here to help when illness strikes. However, the best way of dealing with any health issue is to prevent it from starting.
We’ve prepared a woman’s guide to staying healthy and stress-free during the holidays. Not only will you enjoy your version of the festivities more, but you’ll also start the new year putting your best foot forward.
Stress arrives in many forms. The work associated with preparing for the holidays stacks up on top of the daily obligations that never go away.
Watch out for challenges like:
Family dynamics and financial worries can also boost the stress you experience around the holidays.
The holidays have a sneaky way of upsetting your routine, whether through travel or parties that extend into the night, never mind the temptations of rich foods, sweets, and a general air of indulgence.
The successful strategy for surviving the holidays is probably a mix of maintaining your regular healthy routines as much as possible while enjoying the season’s festive enchantments in moderation.
If you’ve got a good circadian rhythm routine going on, do everything you can to protect it. You can somewhat offset lost sleep by getting extra hours on later days, but you won’t fully reverse the negative impact of the interruptions.
When you need to grab extra time for holiday activities, don’t eliminate gym time or other good activity habits. Exercise is simply too good a stress control tool that it’s essential more than ever during the stress of the holidays.
It’s easy to get lost in the busyness of the season. Some personality types thrive on it. However, if you often have a post-holiday letdown feeling that you missed too many moments, then being busy gets in the way. Delegate, ask for help, and even say “no” to preserve time to enjoy the special moments you work hard to create.
Easing up on alcohol, fried foods, and sweets can help your body roll with the holiday punches. Sample, don’t gorge. Skipping meals to leave room leads to blood sugar swings and overeating. But depriving yourself completely takes the magic from the moment.
When the physical effects of stress create health issues, contact John A. Whitfield, MD, to schedule an exam and diagnosis. Call our office at 817-927-2229 to schedule your visit today.
