‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE CHILLED: The 12 (Pain-Saving) Days of Christmas
What happens when all those good intentions you had to shop early, wrap gifts as you bought them, practice self-care throughout December, and cook ahead and freeze, kind of disappeared along the Advent way because, well, a life of pain got in the way? Suddenly we are halfway through the countdown to Christmas Day and you still haven’t finished your gift shopping, your cards haven’t been posted, you haven’t a clue what you are cooking for Christmas dinner and you haven’t got one festive item in the cupboards - is it too late to have a stress-free yuletide celebration?
The good news is that you can start where you are - no matter how much or little you have already prepared it is possible to achieve this in twelve easy, actionable steps - the 12 (Pain-Saving) Days of Christmas.
SUPERCHARGE YOUR FESTIVE HEALTH: Ten Easy Ways to Boost Your Immunity This Christmas
Our immune system can really be put through its paces at this time of year, not just from the threat of Covid-19 and the hundreds of other viruses which peak during wintertime, but also because we often let healthy practices like exercise, sleeping enough, and eating well slip a little at Christmas.
Fortunately there are certain things we can do this festive season to help boost our immunity and reduce our risk of illness.
SILENT NIGHT: Five Sleep Myths That Could Disrupt Your Festive Rest
Sleep is a vital weapon in the fight against pain, but it can be a struggle to get enough of it - pain leads to difficulty sleeping, and lack of sleep makes pain worse so it can become a cruel loop of sleeplessness and pain. A poor night’s sleep will leave us feeling not only tired and irritable but will also have long-term effects on our health. And worse still, not only does sleep deprivation increase our risk of developing health issues, it also reduces our body’s ability to cope with them. Pain can feel a lot worse after a sleepless night, which in turn can lead to raised stress levels and then we are caught in that old ‘pain - overwhelm - stress - more pain’ cycle.
So what steps can we take to limit the havoc that the festive season will most definitely inflict on our sleep?