For many of us, Christmas is a chance to press pause on the normal routine of life, even if only for a day or two. And while that means a break from the rigours of work, it also means our everyday healthy habits can go out the window. While it’s important to enjoy the festivities and live in the moment, excessive food and alcohol consumption combined with a lack of sleep and exercise can all take a toll, leaving you feeling exhausted and lacking in energy. If (or should that be, when?) that happens, try these tips to get back on track.
Walk it off
Endless grazing on cheese boards and chocolates is almost non-negotiable during the festive season, but constant snacking – especially on rich, fatty or sugary foods – is a fast track to feeling lethargic. If you (understandably) don’t want to compromise on this particular festive tradition, you needn’t – just make sure you factor in a walk afterwards. As well as helping you sleep better, taking a stroll after a meal supports your digestive system, kick starting the intestines into action and encouraging swifter, smoother digestion and less discomfort and bloating. Walking after a meal protects your heart health too: when you walk, your muscles use the glucose from the food you’ve just eaten. This causes your blood glucose levels to drop, which is good news for your heart health. As with any kind of exercise, you’re also lowering blood pressure and helping to reduce levels of “bad” cholesterol, which can only be a good thing.
Eat your cranberries
If your only cranberry intake this season comes via a dollop of sauce on your overloaded Christmas plate, then it might be time to reconsider your consumption. Packed full of antioxidants, which promote good skin health, cranberries are also high in prebiotic fibre, which feeds the good bacteria in your gut and helps maintain a healthy balanced microbiome. On the flip side, compromised gut health is a leading cause of lethargy and lack of energy and can easily make you feel exhausted. The berry’s antioxidant properties also makes it a potent inflammation fighter, helping to offset some of the damage caused by overindulging in processed foods and alcohol. The healthiest way to eat cranberries is raw, so add them to smoothies, porridge and muesli, or snack on them as you would blueberries or grapes.
Turn the music up
According to research by Scientific American, which looked at the connection between music and exercise, listening to fast-paced music overrides your brain’s fatigue signals, making you feel more alert. Not only is this good news for your workout session, it’s also useful if you’re feeling sluggish after one too many mince pies. According to the research, fast songs with strong beats were found to be particularly stimulating, so try adding some hip hop, rock or pop to your festive season playlist if you need an energy boost.
Spice things up
If too much rich food is causing your energy levels to crash, it’s time to spice up those recipes. A fundamental principle in Ayurvedic medicine, using spices for wellbeing purposes – as well as added flavour – is an easy way to feel better faster. A staple in most curries (including that Boxing Day turkey curry), cumin can help support the activity of digestive enzymes which increase and enhance digestion, and help your body to break down food more easily. Black pepper, meanwhile, is thought to stimulate plasma in the blood and boost circulation, while cayenne pepper is believed to improve sluggish digestion and boost energy levels.
Take a timely nap
It might sound strange, but a well-timed nap can be a great energy booster. So – as long as it’s not after 3pm – next time your eyelids start to feel heavy and that deep sleepiness comes over you, give into the urge and find a quiet, dark (and device-free) space in which to sleep. When it comes to the length of your power nap, it’s important to only dip into the earlier and lighter stages of sleep to ensure you wake up feeling refreshed – that means limiting it to around 20 minutes. Any longer and you’re likely to enter the deeper stages of sleep, which can be difficult to wake from and make you feel groggy. As well as banishing brain fog, a good power nap is also an effective way of improving cognitive function: according to a study conducted by the US Army in 2020, strategic napping was shown to be beneficial in helping soldiers’ performance and mental endurance.
Brush your tongue
Electrical pulses such as those from an electric toothbrush can help energise the brain, so if you’re feeling zapped, take a minute or two to brush your teeth and your tongue. As well as the invigorating effect of peppermint on the brain from your toothpaste, the tongue is an important acupressure point, where two meridian points meet. Stimulating those points boosts blood flow, which in turn helps elevate energy levels.