Support Mental Health During The Holidays

The holiday season seems to pass by so quickly — and suddenly we’re dashing through the snow and waking up to the bleakness of January. It is easy to get lost in the flurries of gatherings and travel, festivities and decorations, agendas packed full of must-dos and must-sees. And after the past couple of years we have had, we’re sure more than a few of us are excited to be reunited with loved ones once again — to the point it may be difficult to turn invitations down.

But once the glitter of New Year’s Eve has settled, it’s easy to feel a bit under the wintry weather. So instead of feeling like a pile of discarded gift wrap by 2021’s end, take these steps to support your mental health throughout the busy holiday season. Pour the eggnog! Let’s begin.

STICK TO YOUR SELF CARE

Though you may have a holiday vacation from school or work, it is easy to let the obligations of shopping, cooking, hosting, and socializing take over precious off time. Halt! Prevent burnout by sticking tight to a healthy routine and leaving a little time for just you. Drink plenty of water, get ample sleep, take some quiet time to read or meditate or go on a walk, and exercise or get in some sort of movement daily.

Even if your bedtime is pushed later due to a work party gone long, remember small acts of care like washing your face and applying a soothing moisturizer will keep you feeling fresh and your skin glowing so you can wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed the next morning.

GET PLENTY OF SLEEP

Sleep is number one when it comes to managing stress and staying healthy. But it sure doesn’t come easy to us all. Along with a good bedtime routine like reading or practicing breathwork to calm your mind before bed and unplugging and keeping screens out of the room, Uleva Sleep Extra Strength  is your new go-to supplement for catching up on much-needed ZZZs during the holiday season.

These hemp capsules combine a higher dose of melatonin, a naturally-occurring hormone that regulates our body’s sleep rhythm, with the balancing effect of cannabinoids. It features advanced time-release technology for calibrated melatonin delivery to help you fall — and actually stay — asleep throughout the night. These hemp capsules contain 2.5X the cannabinoids and 4X the melatonin of our regular Uleva Sleep supplements to manage occasional sleeplessness, and give even the most restless among us some solid shut-eye.

JUST SAY NO

While we don’t want to say nay to every special event that makes the holidays well, special, running yourself ragged by feeling obligated to attend every party and every gathering and every school concert while bringing a dish of something tasty and a plate of cookies to share, instead pause and take stock of which things you actually want to do. Prioritize saying yes to those.

By RSVPing yes to everything, you’ll expend precious energy—not to mention your sanity—at the expense of your health and well-being. You don’t want to let your own good times suffer just because your nosey neighbor Karen is having her annual ugly sweater party again and insists you bring a fully-decorated gingerbread house for a contest.

If you must, ask those neighbors and your wife’s friend’s coworker to do a quiet happy hour once the tinsel has settled come January. Wish them a Happy Holidays! and a See you next year! and be on your merry way.

STAY ACTIVE

Don’t let the cold or early darkness from daylight savings keep you down. Fight off the chill with plenty of physical activity. Beyond the typical benefits of exercise we all know, like keeping us healthy, releasing endorphins, and helping us maintain a healthy body weight, staying active greatly contributes to stress management — something crucial to maintaining our sanity and mental health during the holiday rush.

You don’t need to spend hours in the gym each morning to reap the rewards. Even just 20 – 30 minutes five days a week will leave you feeling calmer and freer. Take time to go for a walk with a friend or the dog (even in the snow!), sign up for a fitness class or take a free one online, or participate in much-loved winter activities like skiing and snowshoeing. You got this!

Have a holly jolly holiday!