10 Easy Ways To Care for Yourself Over The Beautiful Holidays
The holidays are upon us! It is an exciting, family filled time of year. A time we look forward to all year long, fantasizing about it and romanticizing all of the activities that the holiday season includes. It is a wonderful time filled with wonderful experiences. However, do you ever find yourself feeling drained by the end of the holiday season, what with all of the extra work, and family socializing, and super busy schedules?
Don’t let that happen to you this holiday season! Instead, take some time for yourself this holiday season. End the year rested and rejuvenated rather than burnt out and worn down.
1). Relish Time With Your Family
Instead of getting so busy with planned activities, take some time to just relax with your family. Enjoy their company. Talk about what has been happening in your lives. Share your hearts. Do the cooking and the planning together.
2). Get Some Sleep
One of the biggest ways that you can ensure you are rested and rejuvenated by the end of this holiday season is making sure you get some sleep! Instead of staying up around the fire (or the TV) till 10 PM, 11 PM, or even midnight, get to bed early. Read in bed. Go to sleep. Maybe even sleep in! Take advantage of all the extra time off you have over the holidays to catch up on your sleep rather than lose it this season.
3). Get Some Exercise
As your schedules get extra busy during this holiday season, don’t let your exercise routines fall by the wayside! After all, exercise burns off cortisol (the stress hormone) and releases endorphins (the "feel good” hormone), which means exercise should be even more integral to your holiday routine than your normal routine!
4). Set Aside A Little "Me" Time Each Day
Even if it is just for a moment. Reading a book in bed for half an hour before drifting sweetly off to sleep. Soaking in a deliciously scented bubble bath. Getting in some exercise each morning. Set aside a little "me” time each and every day. You will be rewarded with renewed energy and cheerfulness. (And you doesn’t want more holiday cheer?)
5). Soak Up Some Sun
Even though the temperatures are dropping and a few more cloudy days grace the calendar, that doesn’t mean you need to neglect the sun! In fact, spending even just 15 minutes in the sun can greatly enhance your mood (because when you don’t get your vitamin D depression can be just around the corner). So, take a walk along the beach to get in your exercise, your "me” time, and your sun exposure all in one!
6). Soak Up Some Waves
As you take your walk, or jog, along the beach and soak up sun, relish the waves as well. The sound of the waves lapping at the beach and crashing against the shore is peaceful. Calming. Soothing. Something that is much needed during this hectic season.
7). Nourish Your Body Properly
It is so easy during the holiday season to get so busy that you veg out with your favorite comfort food the first quiet moment that you get. Add on top of that all of the delicious seasonal treats like eggnog and the gingerbread lattes from Starbucks, plus the amazing sweets that Grandma bakes, and your health can take a serious toll from just your diet each day. So, make sure you get your green vegetables, eat your fruit, and cut back on your sugar intake before you end the holiday season sick instead of rejuvenated!
8). Nourish Your Mind as Well as Your Body
It is important to take care of your body this holiday season so that you don’t get sick, and it is equally as important to take care of your mind. Sometimes spending so much time with family can be stressful. Then you add in the busyness of the season that can send your brain spinning in ten different directions at once, and you definitely need to take care of your mind and spirit. So end the day early and read a book. Quietly walk along the beach here in Sunset Beach and enjoy the sound of the waves, letting your mind wander where it will rather than going over lists and to-dos. Give your brain a break and just soak up beauty.
9). Take One Evening Just to Pamper Yourself
While it is important to have a little "me” time every day to regroup and rejuvenate, one evening of self-pampering will go a long ways to helping you take care of yourself and have a wonderful holiday season. Have your favorite dinner and open your favorite bottle of wine. Take a bubble bath that you keep all to yourself or share with a special someone. Turn off the bright lights and light candles instead. Play some soft jazz. Keep the tv off and open a good book. You will be more than pleased with the results!
10). Take a Vacation!
One of the absolute best ways to take care of yourself this holiday season is to take a vacation! Leave the stress of the holidays behind and transport your family gathering to beautiful Sunset Beach! Soak up the waves, indulge in extra sleep, and just rejuvenate your soul.
We hope you have a wonderful holiday season! Make sure that you don’t get burnt out by following these ten steps. We hope to see you on vacation with us this season!