Healthy for the Holidays

Being sick during PTO takes away all the fun of getting away from work and spending time with friends and family. As we approach this year’s holiday season, we can all take steps to ensure that our time off is healthy and happy. Here are a few to get you started:

• Calculate your calendar. Overbooking your social calendar, hitting the Black Friday sales and staying out late can quickly catch up with you. When you overdo it, you’re more likely to skimp on sleep, which lowers your resistance to the cold and flu. So be choosey when planning your social events, and be sure to get your eight hours of sleep in.
• Imbibe intelligently. For me, drinking too much alcohol has a ripple effect: I stay out later, I don’t sleep as well, and I eat poorly. That’s why it’s important to pace yourself and stay hydrated. At a party, alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, such as sparkling water. If you can’t resist the highest-calorie holiday drinks, like eggnog, limit yourself to one.
• Stay active. Between a busy social calendar and cold weather, winter is the most tempting time to neglect your exercise routine. But countless studies show that regular activity helps to keep your immune system strong. If your schedule is too packed to hit the gym, get your heart rate up throughout the day: take the stairs at work and the mall, briskly walk the dog, do squats at your desk or flow through a few yoga poses before bed.
• Mind your stress level. Be mindful about what puts you on edge during the holidays. Maybe it’s braving the crowded malls, shoveling endless snow or listening to Aunt Edith’s long-winded stories. When stress runs rampant, it can negatively impact your health—and singlehandedly ruin your day off. Be sure to breathe deep, take time for yourself and balance those stressful moments with activities that you truly love.
• Get a flu shot. This is one of the easiest steps you can take to safeguard your health—and your time off—this season. Getting a flu shot is the single best way to prevent the flu, which could mean the difference between a healthy holiday season and spending your vacation nursing yourself back to health.

Visit your nearest MedPost location to get your flu shot today. Feeling flu-ish? Get a flu test to confirm your diagnosis quickly, as studies have shown that an anti-viral medication may help lessen the severity and duration of the flu if it’s diagnosed within 48 hours. And make sure your time off is spent happy and healthy this holiday season.