3 ways to honor your body this holiday season

With the holiday season approaching, I’ve been polling just about everyone I know with one question – “What do you struggle with the most during the holidays?”

This post originally appeared at jackihayes.com

The answers aren’t surprising. How to say no to all the goodies and how not to sacrifice time for exercise.

The holiday season is often viewed as a season of gluttony. It’s also the season of stress.

So how can we honor our bodies and stay healthy during six weeks of non-stop sugar, booze, and stress?

Three steps to staying healthy (and happy) during the holidays

Prioritize sleep

Nothing else matters as much as sleep. Forget working out and forget the late night load of laundry.

Make time for at least 7–9 hours of sleep each night. The more stressed you are, the more sleep you will need.

Living on a shortage of sleep has several impacts on your health and happiness. Three are especially essential to remember during the holidays.

1) A lack of sleep impairs cognitive functions.

When you are sleep deprived, your brain just doesn’t function as it should and you experience impaired concentration, a decrease in reasoning and problem solving skills, and a lack of alertness.

2) A lack of sleep can lead to weight gain

Sleep deprivation has been linked to an increase in hunger. Not good with all those potlucks and buffets you have scheduled. Or for saying no to all the random sweets that magical appear at the office.

It’s likely that this occurs because a lack of sleep disrupts the production of ghrelin and leptin, two peptides that regulate hunger and satiety cues.

A lack of sleep also seems to increase cravings for high-fat, high-carb foods, hence that mid-afternoon Starbucks Cranberry Bliss. Uhmm, when do they start selling those…

3) Sleep deprivation is linked to depression

A lack of sleep can contribute to symptoms of depression. Since depression seems to rise during the holidays (dealing with being single, horrid siblings, or financial stresses) be sure to get your zzz’s to combat the blues.

4) You’ll look old without sleep

When you don’t get enough sleep, your body increases its production of cortisol, a stress hormone. This hormone is known to break down skin collagen.

And hello, you will look rundown for that fabulous office party. The bags under your eyes are not the best accessory to that amazing black dress.

Embrace pleasure

Stop worrying right now about whether you should or should not eat something. Stop categorizing food as good or bad.

Start reframing the “can’t” and “shouldn’t” to “I choose” and “I choose not to”.

Truly and deeply embrace the pleasure of food. And this requires being mindful.

Rather than inhaling the sugar cookies on the break table, take one. Then take a few moments to express gratitude for the experience and opportunity to enjoy this treat.

Use all your senses to enjoy it. See the intricate details that went into the decorations. Feel the texture as the cookie crumbles. Smell its sugary goodness. Then take a small bite and let it sit on your tongue. Let your taste buds do their job.

Make eating that cookie an event.

Then, when your next bite isn’t as pleasurable as the first – stop (great tip fromNeghar Fonooni).

Yep stop. Even if you are only half-way through the cookie. Stop.

Can’t throw it away? Then wrap it up and stash it in your desk drawer. If it calls for you, wait ten minutes, then repeat the process above if the craving is still there.

Move, don’t exercise

Okay, let me explain something. Exercise (as most of us understand it) is a stressor on the body.

That’s actually how it benefits us. It breaks our bodies down. Then when we rest, our body rebuilds itself, adapting to the recent stresses placed on it.

But for any of that to happen, you need to rest.

While I said the number one priority is to sleep, you likely still have a very full plate. Adding 30–60 minutes at the gym five days a week will mean giving up something.

And if you are like most of us, you’ll choose sleep.

So don’t worry about exercising from Thanksgiving to New Year’s.

Is this me giving you permission to remain glued to your couch?

Nope. Instead, be active. Move.

I already know you are going to be cleaning like a mad woman. Points for movement there.

When the family comes over, join the kids for a very active game of Simon Says, tag, family room obstacle course, or even the Wii.

Take the family out skating, skiing, sledding, or hiking.

Rake the yard, prep the flower beds for winter, take the dogs for a walk.

Park in the farthest spot at the mall, be a little less efficient at the grocery store, and take standing/walking breaks while at work.

Instead of exercising, find ways to add more movement to your day. These forms of movement will actually reduce stress and help you sleep better at night. Which reduces stress, which.., I think you get it.

As you can see, these three steps are really just mindset shifts. Repriortize, make room for mindfulness, and let go of obligation. Those three shifts are the key to a happier, healthier holiday season.