Healthy holidays! Self-care can make season more enjoyable

After all of the anticipation leading up to Christmas and New Year’s, there’s nothing worse than getting sick and missing out on the fun. Dr. Graham A. Colditz, associate director of prevention and control at Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, shared these self-care tips for a healthy holiday season.

• Focus on sleep. It’s easy to cut back on healthy sleep when we feel a time crunch, but we really shouldn’t. Sleep is important for both our daily and long-term health, so we should do what we can to get the seven or more hours a night that most adults need. Of course, getting a healthy amount of sleep can be difficult no matter the time of year. So, don’t stress about it, but do what you can to find sleep success. Try to give yourself the time to sleep; don’t overschedule your nights or early mornings, which can easily happen during the holidays. Putting away electronics and avoiding large meals near bedtime also can help, as can keeping to a regular sleep and wake-up time.
• Get out for a walk or other activity. Along with sleep, this is another one that’s easy to skip when our days get busy. But making time to go for a walk or take a gym class has amazing benefits, providing a boost to energy and mood, and even helping with better sleep. It’s not always easy to get started, especially in winter, but those first few minutes of an activity often are the hardest; once past those, the rest usually comes easier. And, if you’re heading outside, be sure to be prepared for the weather and go with a friend.
• Remember to choose healthy foods — mostly. The holidays are a time to celebrate, and that can mean enjoying food without worrying about how healthy it is. It’s good, though, to not totally do away with our healthy eating habits this season. Still try to take an overall healthy approach to eating that focuses on fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and is low in red and processed meat. At special meals and other gatherings, choose what you enjoy, but try to balance less-healthy, higher-calorie foods with healthier choices.
• Relieve stress in healthy ways. As great as the holidays can be, they also can be stressful. Walking and similar activities are really good for this. So, too, are stretching, yoga and breathing exercises. Taking some time alone can be helpful, as well as finding a quiet place to read or stream that movie you’ve been wanting to see. Spending time with friends also can provide support.
• Remember the Reason for the Season. In addition to the items above, Anita Widaman,  publisher of Metro Voice and former counselor, recommends remembering the reason for the season. “Focusing on that,” she says, “helps keep the frustrations and stress in perspective.” Widaman is an adamant supporter of attending church services on Christmas Eve or Christmas Eve Day. “Yes, it is another thing to schedule,” she says, “but taking the focus off yourself for an hour before your busy Christmas Day, and putting that focus on Christ is perhaps the best thing you can do for self-care.”

“These can feel like simple things, and in many ways they are,” Colditz said “But during such a busy season, it can be good to focus on some of the basics. And the benefits of keeping up with even small, healthy steps are real, in our daily lives and the years ahead. That’s a great gift.”

–Alan Goforth \ Metro Voice