Simple strategies to stay balanced during the holidays

Here's your reminder to stay balanced as we all head home to celebrate with our family and friends. 

Take a walk

I know it's getting kinda chilly in the Midwest, but grab your coat and scarf for a quick walk before or after a big dinner. Not only will the break help you with digestion, but some alone time can do wonders for keeping spirits high. If you're a happy and social introvert like me (yes, those things can coexist), that alone time is key. 

Get in a quick workout

This seems related to the walk, but for me, they serve different purposes. A walk is head-clearing, but I need to get a good sweat in on most days of the week to feel my best. Whether I do yoga or running as my workout, both require me to be present in the moment.

Get enough sleep

If you've been overextending in preparation for time off work, get your sleep schedule back to track to eight hours, or whatever is optimal for you. Maybe use this opportunity to get your morning routine set the way you want it. Virtually every hormone in your body depends on the cycle of your circadian clock. Don't underestimate how easily you can feel out of sorts when you don't get enough.

When in doubt, legs up the couch

There is VERY little you need to set up for this simple yoga pose — you, a couch, a pillow and maybe a blanket. Though there are a few contraindications for gentle inversions (heart issues, eye problems), for most, reversing the blood flow in the legs is quite restorative. Gravity keeps the blood in our lower extremities from circulating optimally, so any chance you get to change that, take it. 

I suggest the couch, as this time of year, the warmth of the soft surfaces are probably preferable to a cold wall. However, you can do the same pose, with your legs extended up a wall.

To set up, sit on the floor facing the couch. Scooch your bum up to the front edge, and lie back so that your lower legs are up on the seat cushion, bent at the knee. Place the pillow under the lower arch of your back, while allowing the sacrum, the bony landmark at the base of the spine, to reach the floor below you. Cover yourself up with a blanket for warmth, and stay here for 10-20 minutes. Enjoy the warm coziness of this restorative posture.

If your feet start to tingle, you know it's time to get down. 

Hope these tips help throughout this holiday season. Stay warm!