Winter calendars filled with holiday cheer, holiday parties, and surrounded by holiday treats, it can be hard to stay healthy around this time of year.

Prioritizing your well-being can be simple and may look different for everyone. I’ve found that having strong health foundations and keeping up with my wellness non-negotiables like maintaining a strong sleep schedule, embracing morning sunlight, building a balanced plate, walking after meals, and practicing mindfulness and presence, has allowed me to stay grounded during the holiday chaos. It’s important to remember that healthy living is a lifestyle choice, and there are free wellness hacks that support your nervous system–therefore, overall health–all season long.

Importance of Sleep

Ah, sleep. We all know the feeling of waking up feeling well rested. We feel sharper, mentally clearer, and feel like we are ready to take on what the day has for us. Alternatively, we know what it feels like when we don’t get enough shut-eye.

Scientists are constantly coming out with new research about sleep and its relation to mental and physical health, chronic diseases, and stress levels (these only scratch the surface of the amount of other topics!). To some degree, most researchers can agree: sleep disruption–which affects hormones and cell communication among other things–wreaks havoc on the brain. This means that a lack of sleep not only affects our energy levels but also impedes our ability to regulate our emotions, thought patterns, and focus.

One of the ways I choose to track my sleep and keep myself accountable is with my Oura Ring. It gives me interesting analytics such as heart rate, HRV (heart rate variability), movement, body temperature, and respiration rate. It even breaks down the different sleep stages I go through during the night–including REM and deep sleep. Taking these factors into consideration, my Oura ring dives into my sleep analysis by giving me a “sleep score” every morning.

It’s important to know what things affect your sleep: blue light from our devices, alcohol, stress, medication, and diet are common sleep inhibitors. You can support yourself and the uncontrollable situations during the holidays by prioritizing sleep as much as you can.

Morning Sunlight

With daylight savings time and colder weather, winter can make it difficult to get high amounts of natural vitamin D. A disorder that many people face this time of year, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is categorically triggered by a lack of sunlight. A natural mood booster, sunlight exposure also supports a healthy immune system and strengthens cardiovascular health. Knowing there are links between depression and serotonin, a mood-boosting hormone, increasing time in the sun is crucial. A 2024 study reported that spending around one hour each day in daylight during the winter helped protect against seasonal depression. Even if you need to dress in an abundance of layers in order to get sunlight on your skin, your body and mind will thank you.

Morning sunlight in particular coincides with my first wellness recommendation: sleep. Sunlight plays an important role in regulating your body’s internal clock, circadian rhythm, and therefore your overall sleep cycle. Our circadian rhythm relies on natural sunlight to signal to the brain to stop producing melatonin, a main hormone for rest, relaxation, and sleep. Getting sunlight early in the day helps awaken the body by producing cortisol, a hormone that promotes alertness. It sets the stage for your sleep hours later as cortisol slowly declines and melatonin levels increase when it starts to get dark outside.

Building a Balanced Plate

Another way I prioritize my health is by focusing on my plate and its nutritional structure. I focus on building a plate that has protein, fiber, fats, and some carbs. That way, I am meeting all of my macronutrients while supporting my blood sugar.

Some common side effects of blood sugar spikes include:

Rapid energy dips
Brain fog
Cravings
Mood imbalances

As a functional nutritionist, I get asked all the time for blood-sugar-supporting recipes and recommendations. Here are a few of my favorites that are quick, easy, and perfect for on-the-go holiday travel:
Chocolate Protein Muffins or Protein Pumpkin Muffins
Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
This salad is great with avocado and chicken!
Basil Seed Oatmeal Bowl
My go-to healthy snack recipes:
Cottage cheese tomato slice
Chicken salad cucumber boats with homemade curry chicken salad
Nut butter banana rice cake. Get the recipes here!
Learn more about the ways to prevent a blood sugar spike and how to support glucose levels, and read my previous blog post, The Importance of Balanced Blood Sugar.

Walking After Meals

Walking is not only powerful for overall health, but it also aids in digestion. Moving the body after a meal, especially a large meal, stimulates the stomach and allows food to move through the digestive process more rapidly. It also aids in blood sugar management. Researchers have examined blood sugar levels after a post-meal walk and found that the changes in blood sugar levels were less extreme and occurred more gradually.

Have you ever struggled with intense bloating after a meal? A 2021 study has shown that walking even 10-15 minutes after a meal helps ease digestive distress.

Other benefits of walking after a meal include:

Reduce the risk of heart disease
- Engaging in regular exercise has been shown to reduce blood pressure and LDL (bad cholesterol)
Increases circulation
- Increases blood flow to the muscles and brain
Boosts mood
- Among other exercises, walking is known to help you feel calmer and release the “happy” hormones like endorphins and dopamine.

Being Present and Practicing Mindfulness

Remember, health journeys are not meant to be perfect or temporary. Enjoying the holidays can come in many forms, but above all, it is most important to remain present amongst your loved ones. Partake in all the holiday festivities while being mindful of the moments when you need to take a step back and find time to reconnect with yourself. This could come in the form of taking a walk by yourself (bonus points for a walk with morning sunlight!), stretching or practicing yoga to realign with yourself, or simply sitting in stillness. Find what works for you!

Take the stress out of health this holiday season and enjoy all that comes with it!