It’s no surprise that holidays are the best time of the year for the majority of people. This is the time of the year perfect for bonding with your loved ones in some amazing family get-togethers. But the holiday season is also a period of time that often results in excessive eating and complete haywire to your current set of routines and habits that you have established during the year. Why? Having fun, being relaxed and not thinking about deadlines, work, problems and limitations often gives you the opportunity to forget about discipline and focus on hedonism instead. While this may be good for your mental health, as a way to recharge your batteries, it’s not so good for your overall well-being in the long-term. That’s why we are going to help sort you out with some of the healthiest habits that you can integrate into your life even during the holiday season.
Although a list of habits that you can easily add to your schedule could be long, here’s a selection of a few important ones that can change your life for the better, with almost none or a bit of your effort:
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1. Partake in Moderation
When discussing healthy habits in your life during the holidays, you need to partake in every tradition in moderation. Just because it is a time of fun and freedom doesn’t mean you have to completely derail yourself out of your health goals since this is where the problem arises. You can take part in every activity but at the same time, you have to be aware of your limits and ensure to take things a little slow. Try to do everything in moderation. If you are drinking alcohol, try to stick to the general guidelines that say not to drink more than one or two beverages a day. When you’re eating, try to take a set at the table, eat from a plate and not straight from the container, track your meals and don’t overeat. By simply having your health in mind, you’ll be able to wake up the awareness about the food you’re eating and therefore you’ll prevent excessive drinking and eating.
2. Don’t compromise your sleep
We can’t stress this enough but you must get your sleep. If you are eating unhealthily, spending all your time being out and about but then lack sleep at night, it will take a toll on your health in the days to come. Instead of just brushing things aside, you need to focus on taking some time out of the day to get the necessary amount of sleep at night. Sleeping for at least 7 hours, even during the holiday season is necessary. Other than that, don’t underestimate power naps. They are your health allies, that can tremendously help you stay on track with all the exciting activities. If you’re tired, then you’ll probably get moody too and that’s something you wanna avoid during the holidays. Days are long enough to have fun, hang out with your friends and family, have interesting activities and get some rest. This is the time of the year where you’re supposed to recharge your batteries, not the opposite.
3. Keep yourself active
People tend to become extremely lethargic during the holiday season, especially because of the cold and cozy weather that everyone experiences. In such cases, you must find better ways to keep yourself active. It doesn’t always have to be exercising. You can take your dog out on a walk or you can even take a walk down to the park by yourself. It is all in these small healthy habits that make all the difference in the long run. Take some time before you head out to your final destination and think of the ways to incorporate or redesign your exercise routine to fit your new schedule without interrupting the activities or changing the plans you have with other people. You can even consider including your family into your workout. This way, you’ll maybe teach someone how to take care of their health!
4. Ditch a bad habit
With the New Year inching closer, another amazing change you can make is ditching a bad habit like smoking. You’ve certainly heard the “New Year, new me” saying and you think it’s a cliche. However, it doesn’t have to be just another boring New Year’s resolution. If you become more aware of the importance of your health, and you pay attention to all the things you can do about it, then you’ll certainly come to the conclusion that quitting smoking is something you should consider. The change doesn’t have to come abruptly. As a great start, you can explore the alternatives that could save you from all the negative effects such as nicotine and other substances. Did you know that there’s over 500 ingredients in one cigarette? How many chemicals do you think your body can absorb until it crashes? Luckily, among different alternatives such as nicotine patches, gums or sprays, you could start off with something more similar to your old habit – e-cigarettes. You’ll be able to remove toxic chemicals from your life, at the same time enjoying your favorite flavors. On www.smokingthings.com there’s a huge variety of flavors to choose from, whether you’re a fan of fruity, candy or even coffee. It may seem too hard at first, but your brain, lungs and heart will be thankful in the long run. It’s all about appreciation for what you have and your health is one of the most important treasures!
5. Track your habits
With the haywire that life is in during the holidays, it is common for you to lose track of things. So, another healthy habit that you can opt for is to track all of your habits. This helps you keep an eye out for the changes in your life and then make the necessary changes to your routine. Take a few moments in the morning to plan your day, write your thoughts and set yourself a couple of small daily goals. Start your day with success and you’ll be more likely to finish it the same way.
Being in a festive mood is okay but planning on taking no care of your habits is not. Now is the right time to take things into your hands and to focus on making all the necessary changes, needed for your well-being. It doesn’t have to feel like a big change in the beginning, but your decision is a perfect place to start. Good luck and happy holidays!
