The festive season is upon us and Christmas is just around the corner! With all the celebrations, Christmas preparations, the lack of exercise and the abundance food, your health and wellbeing can often take a back seat.

This may lead to you feeling down over winter, or not enjoying the holidays as much as you’d hoped. To halt this gloomy feeling, we have put together 12 tips on how to take of you over Christmas.

1. Pace yourself

Try not to leave everything until the last minute, make sure you plan and prep early on. The build-up to Christmas is a marathon, not a sprint. We all know how it can be – the manic Christmas shopping, the intense festive cooking and the oh-so fiddly present wrapping can leave us feeling worn out, with little to no chance to just chill. So, begin early and pace yourself steadily. 

2. Don’t believe the hype

It’s ever so easy to compare your own Christmas to those ‘perfect’ Christmas moments that are shared on social media or are depicted adverts. But don’t believe the hype!

Behind those images are either a huge set making that perfect moment, or someone sharing only the highlights of their own Christmas. Behind that picture, all chaos could be breaking loose.

Dissatisfaction with presents or food, family arguments and miserable weather are all quite usual parts of a British Christmas day, and that’s nothing to be ashamed about. Don’t get sucked into measuring your experience against something that’s ultimately fake.

3. Get plenty of sleep

Not getting our recommended hours can leave us feeling low, irritable, groggy and even more prone to stress. This doesn’t mean that you should immediately cancel all your late-night Christmas parties!

We simply recommend that on those days where you have no plans, make a good night’s sleep your priority. Give yourself plenty of time to wind down and put the technology away when you do finally get into bed as this will help you get the 7 to 9 hours that you need.

4. Plan ahead

Avoid unnecessary stress over the festive period by keeping everything organised in your head. Simply use a diary or your phone calendar/notes to organise your events and jot down any to-do lists you have so you feel more prepared!

If you’re hosting any parties, or Christmas dinner itself, make sure you plan early with shopping lists, cooking methods and don’t be afraid to ask for help! 

5. Keep in touch with your loved ones

Say ‘yes’ to any invitations you get to see your loved ones, even if you just go for an hour or two. It’s easy to fall into a sort of hibernation in winter, not really wanting to get out and socialise, but this is an important time to keep in touch and make arrangements to go out with your friends.  

6. Volunteer

Giving back can really create that warm, fuzzy feeling inside, and what better time to start than during the season of giving!

Volunteering not only helps offset the effects of stress, anger, and anxiety, but it makes us happy, increases our self-confidence and gives us the opportunity to meet new friends. Whether it be at your local food bank, your favourite animal shelter or even bringing a nice hot dinner round to your elderly neighbour and staying for a chat – we think it’s a no brainer! 

7. Alcohol in moderation

While there’s nothing better than having a lovely warm ale in a cosy pub with your best friends and letting the conversation flow, getting carried away and drinking too much alcohol over the holiday season can leave you feeling irritable and low.

So make sure you drink within the recommended guidelines and you’ll get to enjoy a Christmas tipple without the negative effects on your mood and health.

8. Bring the light inside

Bring the Christmas cheer into your home as well outside! We all love to decorate our houses during the festive period for everyone to see, but Dr Rosenthal, who has treated thousands of SAD patients, says that all forms of light and brightness inside the home can help fight off the winter blues.

So, make sure you have one really Christmassy room where the fairy lights are twinkling, lamps are lighting up the dark and maybe even candles are burning for a true cosy feeling that will lift your mood during the long evenings.

9. Try to keep you food balanced

Let’s be honest, Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without a little bit of overindulgence, right?

Whether it’s eating chocolate for breakfast or living off Turkey and stuffing all the way through to New Year – it’s wonderful! But, maintaining a healthy balanced diet is vital for both our physical and mental well-being.

So, go ahead and have a good chunk of that chocolate orange for breakfast, but balance it out with some of these festive vegan treats for dinner which are packed with fruit, veg, nuts and pulses, all of which will help you avoid the energy lows that come with an unhealthy diet. 

10. Start a gratitude list

The holiday season offers the perfect opportunity to take some time out of your day to day life and reflect on the great things that have happened throughout the year.

If you take just three to five minutes each morning making a physical or mental list of all the things you are grateful for, your focus will be shifted onto the positives in your life, and, over time, you will realise the abundance that you have in your life.

11. Get outside

Get out and enjoy the crisp winter mornings, even if it’s just for a walk around the block, it is a great way to get some fresh air and a bit of exercise.

The simple act of walking, whether it be a swift stride to the shops or a leisurely stroll through the park, can have a huge impact on both your mental and physical wellbeing, making you feel happy and increasing your productivity. 

12. And maybe the most important – take time for yourself!

It’s easy to get swept away in all the Christmas mayhem, but it’s important to have some ‘me’ time as well. This can come in all different forms, such as meditating, doing some early spring cleaning, practising yoga, reading an enticing novel, having a PJ day with some festive movies or treating yourself to a long, hot bubble bath. 

Whatever you feel like you need – take the time to do it during the Christmas break…