The presents are opened, the decorations are put away, the leftovers are finally gone, and you are probably exhausted! The holidays can take a toll on our bodies as we eat more, sleep less, and stress about everything from family to finances. Start your new year off right with these simple tips to get back on track:
- Sleep more – It is recommended that we get 7-9 hours of sleep a night, plus adequate sleep can ward off other problems such as weight gain. Make sure to stop using electronic devices one hour before bed – the blue light from cell phones and tablets makes you more alert, causing you to feel less sleepy.
- Meditate – Take a few minutes each day to sit in a quiet place and focus on steady breathing and relaxing any muscles that feel tense.
- Incorporate healthy foods back into your diet – We all indulge this time of year, but that doesn’t mean come January 1st you need to eat nothing but salads. Gradually add low fat, high fiber foods back into your diet, especially lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Cut back on alcoholic beverages; they are high in calories and do not provide any nutritional value.
- Exercise – Even though it gets dark early, you can still get in 30 minutes of exercise each day. Yoga, stretching, and calisthenics (push-ups, sit-ups, lunges) can all be done indoors with no equipment. If you like to watch TV at night, use the commercial breaks to do jumping jacks or walk in place.
Add one tip per week into your routine and by the end of January you should be feeling back to normal, both physically and mentally. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2016!