Health Concerns Over Christmas
Health Concerns to Keep in Mind Over the Christmas Holidays
The Christmas holidays are a time when we focus on others. We rush to shop and cook, spending time with friends and family. It can be easy to focus so much on others during this time that we can lose track of our own health. In order to have the best Christmas you can, it is important to keep track of your health during the holidays. There are several health concerns to keep in mind over the Christmas holidays.
Large Amount of Depressed People at Christmas
Christmas is a joyous time, but it is the number one time of the year for depression, some experts say. Some of the depression people experience over the holidays may be due to the fact that the Northern Hemisphere experiences winter and the bleak landscape and decreased daylight lend themselves well to depression. However, many people feel stress, both socially and financially, to have perfect holidays. People also spread themselves thin over the holidays, with work, family gatherings, shopping and parties. Keeping an eye on your stress levels, taking personal time to decompress and setting realistic expectations about what you hope to experience over Christmas can help your overall mental health.
The Average Person Gains 5 Pounds Over Christmas
Christmas is a time also of great consumption. Some studies have shown that some people can gain as much as five pounds from Thanksgiving to the New Year, and with obesity on the rise in the United States, this extra weight can aggravate all kinds of problems from diabetes to high blood pressure. With food everywhere during the holidays, with Christmas cookies, party spreads and Christmas dinner, it can be hard to avoid gaining weight. However, there are some ways to eat with your health in mind during Christmas. Take healthier, leaner snacks with you to work so you will be better able to avoid the treats people bring to work. Many people are more and more health conscious these days and will offer vegetable and fruit snacks at parties. Try to eat more from those platters than the cheese and cookie platters. Drinking some chicken soup, or even just a glass of water before eating that big Christmas dinner may help you eat less in the long run. Also, some studies have shown that people who brush their teeth immediately after eating will not return to snack later, reducing those holiday calories that can threaten your health at Christmas.
Christmas Tis the Season to Get Sick
Finally, because many of us experience colder weather at holidays, we naturally stay indoors more. Add to this all the crowded places we go at Christmas time, from the mall to parties, we are exposed to far more viruses and germs than at any other time of the year. During Christmas time, it is important to get plenty of sleep and to stay hydrated to prevent the immune system from weakening. Excessive alcohol consumption, always a temptation at Christmas, can also weaken the immune system. During this time of the year, some find it helpful to take extra vitamins and to keep hand sanitizer in their desks, cars and maybe even coat pockets. Avoiding a Christmas cold will make the holidays so much brighter.
For more great tips on health concerns over the holidays and any other times of the year please visit GKHealth.
