By: Annie Morgan
Christmas may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it doesn’t come without its set of health challenges – especially for the ladies.
From having to host multiple guests, to dealing with the sleepless nights of getting everything cooked and ready – one could feel exhausted…
… and that’s not even including the stress of boundaryless relatives.
Self-care is always important, but it’s especially critical during the holiday season.
To avoid getting sick or feeling emotionally exhausted – managing one’s self-care during the holidays is essential.
Check out our helpful tips to get you started.
Schedule 1 Self-Care Activity Per Day
During the craziness in preparing for Christmas, many women often completely neglect self-care for weeks at a time.
Instead, schedule time every day for self-care.
It could be something as simple as a therapeutic massage, using your foam roller to care for your fascia, or taking a relaxing Epsom salt bath.
Even quiet meditation with diffusing peppermint or lavender essential oils can help the mind and body wind down.
And don’t forget to sleep!
Bonus sleep tools like a weighted blanket can help ease your mind and help you sleep better.
Remember, you likely schedule everything else in your life like baking cookies and wrapping gifts, so consider putting 30-60 minutes of self-care into your calendar every day.
It’s always easier to stay afloat before you mentally burnout and are forced to bounce back.
Maintain Your Health Routine
If you gain energy from a morning run or workout session – make sure you keep it going during the Christmas season!
You may feel due to your increased load of responsibilities you simply don’t have time – but this is one area you don’t want to skimp in.
Not only does working out release endorphins which makes your body feel good, but it’s a proven stress reliever.
Often one of the first things to cut when busy is a workout – but for your own physical (and mental) health, make sure you prioritize time to stay fit.
Your Mental Health Counts Too
While it’s important to take care of your physical health this season and eat properly, keep your workout routine, and sleep – don’t neglect your mental health.
Emotions run high during the holidays, and many people are naturally more stressed out.
Don’t feel guilty about saying no to commitments if you need to take a night off and stay home and relax.
You don’t need to attend every holiday event you get invited to.
In addition, make sure to set boundaries with people if needed – especially if they are known to disrupt your mental peace.
True health is not just physical – it involves the entire body – including the brain.
And if you neglect your mental health, physical symptoms are sure to arise.
So this Christmas season, be sure to have fun spending time with your loved ones.
But remember, having fun does not mean sacrificing your physical and mental health!
Schedule 30-60 minutes of self-care each day – and personalize it to what works best for you.
Merry Christmas!
What types of self-care items do you incorporate into your everyday life?
What do you find to be the most stressful part of the Christmas season?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments below and be sure to share this article with your friends and family to let them know how to create the ultimate Christmas survival guide!
