10 Ways to avoid Holiday Fatigue

10 Ways to Avoid Holiday Fatigue

Let’s get real. This time of the year it’s easy to let yourself get run down and often that leads to fatigue and even illness. Optimum health is what’s needed to navigate the tricky terrain ahead. Taking care of both your mental and physical health will enable you to feel your best and most vibrant self. The best approach is to stop, breathe, and plan ahead. It IS a busy time of year….but that doesn’t mean it has to get hectic and stressful. You know what they say? Fail to plan is a plan to fail!

10 Ways to Avoid Holiday Fatigue

BUSINESS AS USUAL: as much as possible, stick to your regular routine. Get to the gym, brown bag lunches, dinner at home, consistent wake/sleep times. Don’t use the season as an excuse to totally abandon your health and wellness goals. Be MINDFUL, reasonable and realistic.
MOVE: walk during lunch, take the stairs, park farther away from your ultimate destination, make it to the gym. When you raise your heart rate and raise your metabolism, you provide yourself with a natural boost of energy.
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SLEEP SUCCESS: Turn off all electronics 1 hour before sleep time. Determine what time this is based on what time you need to be up—count backwards to allow enough time for 7-9 hours. Make a “to do” list for tomorrow: prioritize the top 3 “MUST DOS” and strategically take off things that don’t actually have to get done. Crawl into bed early with a book, take a bath, listen to a guided meditation, whatever works well FOR YOU to unwind. Leave your cell phone in another room charging for the following day. Relax and unwind so you’re ready for sleep.
HYDRATE: always aim for half your body weight in daily ounces of water. Holiday season is no exception. In fact, when the weather gets colder and the humidity drops your need for water increases. Headaches and fatigue are often signs of dehydration.
CLEAN OUT THE FRIDGE: It’s totally worth the 5-10 minutes it will take to go through and organize. You will be able to repackage, repurpose, and even freeze items for the future. It feels so good to use up what you have, rather than waste food. Once you’re able to see what you have on hand, it makes menu planning and grocery shopping much easier. Not only that, but a cluttered space encourages a cluttered mind. The well-organized fridge helps encourage serenity.
MENU PLAN/GROCERY SHOP: Remember business as usual? Think through the week. Determine how many nights you will be eating at home, how many days bagged lunches will be needed (can you make extra dinner one night to take for lunch?), what needs to be restocked for quick and easy breakfasts. Go for simple recipes that you’ve made before. Plan to chop enough salad and roast enough veggies for several days.
SET IT AND FORGET IT: dust off your crock pot and put it to good use on ultra-busy days. Vegetarian Chili or homemade soup waiting for you when you walk in is a better choice than letting yourself fall into the “take out” trap. Save your indulgences for the parties!
SELF CARE: Make an appointment for a massage, sign up for a restorative yoga class, take a bubble bath, get outside and walk during lunch, treat yourself to a mani-pedi, sit and indulge in 30 minutes of “me” time with a hot cup of tea. A great way to avoid holiday fatigue!
PARTY PLAN: Eat a small salad before you go, accompanied by alarge glass of water so you’ll be less tempted to gorge out of “hangry” at the party. Volunteer to bring a healthy option wherever you go. Nutritious and delicious aren’t mutually exclusive. The hostess will thank you and so will the other guests.
MAKE TIME FOR FRIENDS: That hour you put aside to reconnect over a cup of tea, a glass of wine, or a walk with the dogs will give back much more than it took. A definite fatigue buster.