Balance is key during the holiday season
The festive season often brings joy and celebration, but it can also lead to excesses in food, alcohol, and shopping. While indulging in treats and splurges can feel like a way to enjoy the season, overindulgence in these areas can have significant negative impacts on physical health, mental well-being, and financial stability. Let’s take a look at how these excesses can take a toll.
Overindulging in Food
The holiday season is often filled with rich foods, sweets, and large meals. While it’s natural to enjoy these foods occasionally, overindulgence can have immediate and long-term health effects. First, consuming excess sugar and fats can lead to uncomfortable symptoms like bloating, indigestion, and fatigue. In some cases, people may experience spikes in blood sugar, resulting in crashes that leave them feeling lethargic and irritable.
Overeating can lead to weight gain, especially when festive foods replace healthier meals. This weight gain is often difficult to reverse and can contribute to a range of health issues, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and increased risk of chronic conditions like diabetes. The physical discomfort from overindulging can contribute to stress and mental strain, leading to feelings of guilt, shame, or low self-esteem.
Food overindulgence can also negatively impact mental health. Eating lots of sugary or high-fat foods can disrupt brain chemistry and alter mood. Sugary foods, for instance, may trigger dopamine release, leading to short-lived pleasure but ultimately creating cycles of craving and depletion. This, combined with feelings of regret or self-criticism after excessive eating, can increase anxiety and depressive symptoms, making it harder to enjoy the holiday season fully.
Drinking Excessively
Alcohol is commonly part of festive celebrations, but drinking too much can have serious consequences for both physical and mental health. Drinking in excess can strain the liver, and for those with underlying conditions, it may worsen symptoms or put extra stress on the cardiovascular system. Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it slows down the central nervous system. This may lead to feelings of sluggishness, impaired motor skills, and clouded judgement.
Excessive drinking can also affect mental health. Alcohol can impair sleep quality, leading to increased fatigue, irritability, and a diminished ability to cope with stress. Sleep disruptions also affect mood regulation, making it more challenging to stay positive and focused during the festive season. For those prone to anxiety or depression, alcohol can exacerbate symptoms by affecting neurotransmitters in the brain, which are essential for mood stability.
Moreover, alcohol can decrease inhibitions and impair decision-making, which can lead to behaviour that might be out of character or damaging. Individuals may say or do things they later regret, leading to strained relationships, embarrassment, or regret. This can compound sadness or frustration after the celebrations, affecting long-term mental well-being.
Overspending on Shopping
The holidays often come with pressure to buy gifts, decor, and indulgences that are, at times, outside a person’s budget. However, spending beyond one’s means can create financial strain, and the repercussions of overspending linger long after the holidays.
Financial stress can be a major contributor to mental health struggles, including anxiety and depression. Worrying about debt or financial instability can weigh heavily on a person’s mind, leading to constant stress or a feeling of being trapped. The feeling of being burdened by debt or financial obligations can also limit a person’s ability to enjoy the holiday season.
Impulse shopping and overspending is often an emotional response to the season’s excitement and hyperbole, leading people to make purchases they later realise were unnecessary. “Buyer’s remorse” can lead to feelings of regret and self-criticism, which may lower self-esteem and contribute to feelings of anxiety. When people have overindulged financially, it can lead to guilt and increased stress as they head into the new year.
Striking a Balance
It is possible to enjoy the festive season without succumbing to overindulgence. Moderation should be the goal. Here are a few ways to approach holiday indulgence in a balanced way:
- Mindful Eating and Drinking: Before reaching for another drink or extra serving, pause to assess your hunger or fullness level. Opt for healthier options, like vegetables or lean proteins, and alternate alcoholic drinks with water to avoid overconsumption.
- Set a Budget for Gifts: Outline a reasonable holiday budget and stick to it. Thoughtful gifts don’t have to be extravagant, and handmade or personalised gifts are often more meaningful than costly ones.
- Focus on Non-Material Traditions: Embrace holiday activities that aren’t centred around food, drink, or gifts. Go for a walk, volunteer, or spend time in nature. These activities foster a positive mood without the risk of overindulgence.
Taking a mindful approach to food, drink, and spending during the festive season allows for a more enjoyable, less stressful experience and helps set a positive foundation for the new year.