By RMHP
Now That the Holidays Are Over, Focus on Recovery
You spent countless hours preparing for the hustle of the holidays, and perhaps you even managed to remain fairly stress free throughout the season, but the post-holiday period has the potential to be just as stressful. Family gatherings, countless parties, and all of that holiday fun can take a toll on your body and mind, and it can be difficult to adjust back to “normal” life once it all screeches to a halt.
Are you still working to find some balance?
Remember to let yourself have some down time in this early part of the year, and give these handy tips a try to ease your holiday transition and recover from all of that stress.
Get back to your normal schedule to eradicate exhaustion
Are you feeling listless and overly tired now that the holidays are finished? That’s completely normal. The holidays can be stressful, and that makes it difficult to maintain your normal routines, especially when it comes to sleep. If you weren’t able to spend enough quality time with your bed and pillows, your body could be craving more rest.
Even if you
think you got enough sleep throughout the holidays, you might still be run down. After all, hosting and attending parties, traveling to see family members, and everything else that comes with the holidays can be emotionally and physically draining.
Whatever your normal routine might be, focus on the basics (like sleep) first. Try going to bed 30 minutes earlier each night until you feel refreshed. The extra rest will help your body and your mind, which will make it easier to get back to normal. Those longer winter nights certainly make this self-care tip easier to implement, too!
Continue, or start, an exercise routine
Typically, our dedication to our fitness routines tends to wane during the busy holiday season… and that’s okay! If you need to ramp up your exercise regime again, there’s no better time to start than now. Exercise can be a great tool to help you blow off some steam and work through any stress that might be lingering after the holidays.
Plus, those sweat sessions will help you sleep better. If you
have kept up with exercise, don’t stop now!
Step away from the sweets
It’s okay if you overindulged during the holidays – that’s part of the fun! But, once the season is over, it’s time to go back to a healthy eating lifestyle. To easily fuel your body with healthy, delicious, and warming foods, break out the slow cooker. Look up some
easy soup recipes, dump your ingredients in, and let it cook while you’re away.
Preparing healthy meals shouldn’t add any additional stress to your schedule, and slow cookers are perfect for those cold winter months.
If your sweet tooth just won’t stop, look for lower sugar solutions and begin making some healthier swaps.
Be openly grateful
Keep the holiday cheer going for a bit longer by practicing gratefulness. Acknowledging feelings of gratefulness can drastically improve our moods, and there are tons of ways to show your loved ones that you appreciated spending time with them throughout the holiday season.
Thank you notes and simple phone calls are two easy ways to show others that you’re grateful, and keeping a gratitude journal for yourself can help refocus your thoughts on the positive.
Schedule some down time with loved ones… or yourself
If holiday obligations forced you to spend some quality time away from your spouse, family members, or other loved ones, try to schedule some one on one time with those special people in your life. It could be a
weekend away to reconnect, a casual coffee date, a
fun excursion outdoors, or anything else you can think of.
But, if spending more time with the company of others sounds like yet another stressful activity, go solo. Schedule a massage, take a hike on your own, and soak up the alone time.
