Daily Life

Self-Care During the Holiday Madness

Make yourself a priority this year to make the holiday season even more magical.

By: Emmy Schneider-Green

Self-care during the holidays—is it even possible? While rest and relaxation may be the last thing on your mind when you think of the holiday madness, we think it’s time this changes.

After all, the holidays are supposed to be about quality time, focusing on gratitude, and celebrations. We think these warm and fuzzy feelings should extend to yourself because after all, none of us can pour from an empty cup!

This holiday season, let’s vow to make self-care a priority. We’re not suggesting taking up a grueling new workout routine or strict diet—the holidays are meant to be enjoyed. But, what we can get behind are adopting a few simple health-care habits that will actually leave you feeling the holiday cheer more, since you’ll be healthy and rested to enjoy the season fully. 

Sound good? Read on to learn about our top five self-care tips to make you feel amazing all holiday season long. 

5 Ways to Practice Self-Care During The Holidays 

#1 Start Your Day With a Sweat Sesh

Family in town? Travel plans? Meals to cook and parties to attend? We get it! But we can all choose to wake up just a few minutes earlier and squeeze in a quick at-home workout that gets your heart rate up before the craziness of the day sets in.

#2 Keep Your Boozing In-Check 

We’re not a Scrooge—so we’re not suggesting you give up delicious holiday cocktails (bottoms up on that NYE bubbly!) Moderation is everything when it comes to boozy concoctions, since a few drinks can easily add up to a lot of extra calories, carbs, and sugar, plus make it that much harder to resist the unhealthy snacks. Plan which parties and days you want to enjoy some libations, and the rest of the time, opt for plenty of water and hot teas. 

#3 Protect Your Me-Time

The holidays inevitably include lots of socializing and family time, but carve out time for recharging your batteries too. Take a few moments daily for meditation, a quick walk, and make sure you’re getting your 8 hours of sleep, even if it means learning to say no to extra parties and functions that aren’t really a must. This is one of the best ways to really practice self-care during the holidays, and prevent that holiday fatigue from setting in. 

#4 Ditch The Guilt

Treats are around every corner this time of year, but when it comes to “sinful” goodies, the best thing to do is to stop viewing them as that! Science shows that when we beat ourselves up for poor dietary choices, the body releases cortisol, the stress hormone, which inhibits fat loss—meaning that self-scolding is actually making matters worse. A few rich meals won’t change your body, so ditch that guilt.

#5 Crowd Out the Treats with Healthy Picks

When you know you’re about to be feasting, choose to surround those meals with healthier options that will fill you up and keep you nourished. Having a healthy breakfast smoothie before Thanksgiving lunch/dinner, loading up on salads and veggies before the main meal, and drinking plenty of water between the NYE bubbly are all good examples.

Here’s Your Invitation to Take Some Extra “Me Time” This Time of Year

At the end of the day, the “holidays” are truly only a few days or so, so no need to treat the entirety of the winter season as a free-for-all. With these tips, you’ll be able to enjoy this magical time of year and tend to your own self-care during the holidays. The two aren’t mutually exclusive, so Happy Holidays