December is usually an overwhelming month, lots of festivities and occasions occur in this month.

The December holiday season is almost upon us, and as expected everywhere we turn there is another table full of food, and social gatherings ranging from office holiday parties to family get-togethers.

It is very easy for you to lose sight of your healthy lifestyle during the holidays. If care is not taken, you could overeat, overdrink and avoid physical activity.

The December holidays aren’t an excuse for you to forgo your healthy lifestyle choices, it is a time in which you must remain especially healthy. 

That is why need to find out these health tips for the December holidays. This article will outline and explain some practical yet beneficial tips that will help you remain healthy during the December holidays.

10 Health Tips For December Holidays

The following are some useful health tips to adhere to during the month of December, which is a festive holiday period.

1. Manage stress effectively

It is very common for many people to get stressed out during the December holidays.

The pressure to attend gatherings, festivals, and meetings can be extra demanding.

Then coupled with the pressure of getting gifts for your loved ones. All these pressures can definitely lead to you being stressed out.

Hence, one of the best health tips for December is to manage your stress effectively.

How do you do this? Give yourself a break whenever feel stressed out, overwhelmed, out of control, and tired. Plan ahead and use your time well.

Some other best ways to manage stress are to find support, practice meditation, connect socially, and get plenty of sleep whenever you can.

2. Stay active

The holidays season is typically filled with a lot of activities. These activities can prevent you from doing one of the healthiest activities your body needs, which is exercise.

To stay active during the holidays, you need to create time to exercise. Thirty to forty minutes a day will do your body great good.

What if you just can’t seem to find the time to exercise during the holidays? You should improvise.

Take opportunities to dance as much as you can; dancing is an excellent way to stay active. You should also talk short walks when running errands.

3. Eat healthy and moderately

There will definitely be lots of food during this December holidays. But if you wish to stay healthy during the holidays, you need to eat healthy food and eat moderately too.

How can you achieve this? One way is by resisting the urge to overeat, don’t eat more than your body needs. Then incorporate fruits and veggies into each meal you prepare.

You should also be ready to say no whenever you are offered too much food to eat and when you are offered junk food.

4. Drink alcohol moderately

The merriment of the December holidays should make you overindulge in alcohol.

Excessive amounts of alcohol in the body can have unhealthy repercussions. So watch the amount of alcohol you consume this festive season.

Also, you should never drink and drive, don’t even attempt it. If you know, you will be drinking alcohol at an event get someone else who hasn’t drunk to drive you home.

Remember that your health and safety should be your priority this period, not just about having a good time.

5. Maintain proper hygiene

It is equally vital for you to maintain good hygiene during the December holidays.

This includes washing your hands with soap or a sanitizer regularly. You should also make sure that the dishes are washed and cleaned daily.

Keep your surroundings clean and healthy too.

6. Keep an eye on your kids

If you are a parent, now is the time to pay more than the usual attention to your kids. Monitor your kids movements during this December holiday.

Keep away dangerous toys, food items, drinks, household items, and other potentially harmful objects out of children’s reach.

Take all the necessary steps to protect them from drowning, getting burned, falling, getting lost, and any other potential accidents.

7. Avoid secondhand smoke

It is not uncommon for people to hang out in bars, restaurants, and clubs during the December holidays.

However, you should try to avoid secondhand smoke regardless of where you may be. Secondhand smoke can cause a variety of illnesses in the body.

Secondhand smoke also causes lots of health problems in infants and children; these include frequent and severe asthma attacks, respiratory infections, ear infections, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). It is said to be even more harmful than smoking.

So, avoid any situation that could lead to inhaling large amounts of second-hand smoke.

8. Take care of your social health

There’s a thing as social health, which is closely connected with mental health.

Your social health encompasses your ability to form and maintain real interpersonal relationships with others.

Use the December holidays to work on improving your social health. Reconnect with old friends, go on a date, meet with your family and try to get some new acquaintances.

Limit the time you spend on social media and online, always to try to protect your mental health from the negative aspects of social media.

9. Practice safe sex and avoid STDs

It is imperative that you practice safe sex during the December holidays. Don’t get so caught up in the moment that you ignore your sexual health.

There are many sure-fire ways to avoid contracting STDs is by using protection every time you have sex.

While this will stop you from directly contracting potential STDs from your partner, you must also keep in mind oral sex and the use of toys during sex, as these can also spread diseases.

There are also further ways to keep yourself safe: avoid sharing towels or underclothing, wash before and after intercourse. You should also get a vaccination for hepatitis and get tested for HIV.

10. Stay warm

It’s usually very cold in many parts of the world in December. Therefore, it is best that you should stay warm.

Wear the appropriate clothing and cover yourself properly. Stay indoors whenever it is too cold outside.

If you want to enjoy your December holidays, you should strive to follow these health tips for December.

December is a great month where you get to have fun, enjoy yourself, celebrate, and connect with loved ones.

Nonetheless, keeping yourself healthy at all times should be a priority too. Have a great holiday!