As we beckon the festive season for a much-deserved rest from a remarkable year, let us look at a few health pointers to ensure it delivers the rest we need. Nothing is as disheartening as being ill on holiday. Your days slowly disappear amid so much activity, while all you can do, is to wait for your body to fully recover before joining in on the fun again.

To ensure you bask in every moment this festive season, be sure to follow these tips:

Vacation or staycation?

• Do your research on your itinerary, activities, meals and wellness facilities.
• Have a checklist to mark for your travel destination. 
• Check for endemic illnesses in the area (health government sites can assist with this.
• Need for travel vaccinations such as Yellow Fever.
• Vector-borne diseases such as malaria, and cholera.
• Travel and health insurance in case of hospitalization due to injury or illness.

Health-your greatest wealth

• Visit a travel clinic weeks before travelling.
• A thorough assessment of your individualized needs will be made.
• Always carry your chronic medication with a doctor’s prescription and medical letter.
• Set alarm clocks to remind you of medication times as it is difficult to stick to structured routines during the holiday season.

“Eat it before somebody else sees it, or you will have to share”

• The best way to have fun and still maintain healthy eating habits is to eat according to priority. When you dish up, ensure it is in small portions regularly. Always aim to start with green leafy vegetables, followed by protein and lastly carbs for a steady rise in glucose (speak to a health care professional for more details on this). This way, you get fuller quicker and require fewer carbs by the time you finish your small-portioned plate.
• Hydrate with safe drinking water as much as you can.
• Remember to eat when you are hungry, not because food is readily available to you. Self-regulate your eating habits by eating small portions regularly.

Exercise or extra fries?

• Exercise wins this one by a long mile. The endorphins released add to the ‘feel good’ holiday mood. 
• The benefits in the short term and long term make it worth the while.
• Besides, you are counteracting the extra calories that come with joyous festivities. throughout the holiday season.
• Persistence is key.

Summertime restless?

When end-of-year fatigue begins to set in, we all often cite the phrase – “I cannot wait to go on holiday and rest”. But do we rest? The whole point of being on holiday is to rest and sleep more hours than usual to recharge for the upcoming year. To wake up much later than we normally do, lazying around in our favourite places with our favourite people. To improve your rest and sleep this festive, try:

• Setting up a bedtime schedule and routine such as switching off all stimuli by a certain time to allow for winding down, and maintaining good sleep hygiene.
• Take afternoon naps of at least 25 mins over and above nighttime rest of 8 hours sleep.
• When awake at night, ensure to fall asleep within 30 minutes to not perturb your sleep pattern.
• Rest at every opportunity you get.

When we start the new year, we should all feel rejuvenated and ready to face what comes, knowing we optimized our efforts towards better rest and overall health. Best wishes for a happy, healthy holiday season!