6 Tips to Reset Your Health After the Holidays

The holidays have come and gone, but for many of us, the aftermath has left us feeling less than our best. Between the endless parties, rich food and late nights, it's no wonder we feel out of sorts. If you're the type to make New Year's resolutions, we encourage you to take a look at your habits and make a commitment to getting back into a healthy routine, and start 2023 off right!

Here are six tips to help you reset your health after the holidays and kick off a healthier year:

1. Get Back Into a Routine

While not everyone may thrive on a strict and rigid schedule, routines have the ability to impact your overall wellness. Those with routines tend to have lower stress levels, better sleep schedules and better health.

Re-establishing healthy habits is key to getting back on track in the New Year. Setting a bedtime will ensure you get enough sleep each night and are ready to take on the next day. Meal prepping will make eating during your busy schedule much easier while keeping your body nourished. Getting back into an exercise routine will keep you motivated and moving.

Ultimately, a routine has the ability to make you feel more in control of your life and schedule. This can significantly help improve your mental health and reduce anxiety and burnout.

2. Schedule an Annual Wellness Exam

Start the year off on a healthy note by scheduling your annual wellness exam. Annual physicals are a crucial step in taking control of and staying informed about your health. These appointments provide a baseline view of your health and allow for ongoing monitoring of certain health concerns.

In addition to a screening of your overall health and well-being, this visit gives you the opportunity to discuss how you're feeling post-holiday season with your doctor. Whether you've been struggling with gastrointestinal issues after a season of different eating habits or are looking for help with creating a weight-loss plan, your primary care physician is there to listen and guide you through treatment and life changes.

3. Stay on Top of Your Hygiene

No doubt your holiday season was filled with time in crowded malls, busy restaurants and plenty of visits to relatives. This exposure to holiday germs already may have impacted your health, but now that the season has passed, it's important to take preventive measures against them.

Staying on top of your hygiene practices is essential to help prevent the spread of germs and bacteria. This includes washing your hands regularly, using hand sanitizer when soap and water aren't available and avoiding touching your face unnecessarily.

4. Get Plenty of Sleep

The post-holiday season can be a stressful time for many of us—between getting back into our normal routine and managing the stress of a new year, getting enough rest can become an afterthought.

However, getting the right amount of sleep each night is essential to your overall health and functioning. Sleep is a time of repair for your body. It prepares your brain for another day of thinking, learning and doing also while giving your immune system time to produce proteins that combat infection and inflammation.

The amount of sleep you need will depend on your age, though most adults should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night to give their body the time it needs to recharge and repair itself. Additionally, try to establish a pre-bedtime routine that will help make it easier to fall asleep at the same time each night.

5. Exercise

After eating too much, drinking too much, traveling and staying up way past our bedtime, some of us may want to ease back into an exercise routine after the holidays. However, physical activity can be a great way to reset your health and kick off a healthier year!

Exercising regularly has been known to:

• Improve physical and mental health
• Boost energy levels
• Promote better sleep quality
• Reduce stress
• Help maintain a healthy weight
• Increase mobility and stamina
• Reduce the risk of coronary heart disease
• Lower blood pressure levels
• Keep bones, joints and muscles healthy

Living healthier and losing weight are often popular choices for New Year's resolutions. This decision has the power to create a new, healthy habit and change your life for the better. It also has the potential to place additional stress on your mental and emotional health should you fail to stay consistent with a workout routine.

Exercise is a powerful tool that should be used to improve your health and confidence! If your New Year's resolution involves exercising, be sure to set realistic goals and be patient with yourself.

6. Change Your Eating Habits

While indulging in pies and cookies can be one of the most fun parts of the holiday season, this time of year often leads to a decrease in healthy eating overall. As the New Year begins, many take the time to assess their eating habits and make a change.

Not only can eating healthy be one of the most difficult lifestyle changes to make and maintain but also it is also one of the most important! Eating healthier meals has numerous long-term health benefits. It can help you achieve better overall health, lower your risk for chronic diseases, increase energy levels, improve digestion and even help with weight loss.

A few simple changes to your eating habits can make all the difference, such as:

• Eating smaller portions throughout the day
• Replacing processed and sugary snacks with healthier options like fruits and vegetables
• Incorporating more fresh ingredients into meals
• Cutting down on caffeine and alcohol consumption
• Drinking more water

You may have heard the term "balanced diet" before, but what exactly does that mean? Creating a balanced diet involves adding plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy to your plate to give your body the variety of nutrients it needs.

Commit To Your Health This Year

Resetting your health after the holidays allows you to start the year off feeling refreshed and in control of your well-being. Through the help of your physicians, loved ones and self-determination, it is possible to make these changes to better your health and lifestyle.

Southwest General Medical Group, Inc. is here to help guide you through the beginning of the year and beyond! To schedule your annual wellness exam or to learn more about our services, visit our website today.