The kids are finally back at school and the working year is well underway. Everyone is back in routine, school drop offs, lunches, weekend grocery trips and sports practice.

But are you feeling energized and refreshed or exhaused from having extra demands to keep everyone happy and entertained over the holiday break?

As human beings we need a balance of rest and activity to optimize our health and wellness. While holidays should be a time of rest, the reality is that we can end up feeling like we have gone from one extreme to the other.

Suddenly, you’re able to sleep in until 9am instead of getting up and going to work and school by 8am and our bodies are thrown by this new freedom. Oversleeping and waking up feeling groggy with a headache is a common experience.

The more tired and stressed you were before the holidays, the more exaggerated the body’s response. As the weeks roll by you may find yourself having to reset an alarm just so you can make the most of the day.

At a certain point you decide to start planning activities to keep the kids and yourself busy to prevent the new experience of ‘boredom’ that arises after several weeks away from your usual commitments.

While this is a positive sign that energy levels and motivation are returning, it’s all too easy to overdo this stage of the holidays and end up feeling exhaused when work and school returns.

Again balance is the key here. Our bodies like a certain amount of routine.

By reseting your alarm a little later than you normally do you can ease yourself back into a more regular regime a week or so before you return to your normal activities.

Having a plan of attack for each day is important to make you feel like you have achieved something instead of wasting the day. Even if it’s only a shopping trip or another type of outing.

Gradually your body will ramp up again to accommodate your usual routine. However, you need to remember that a body in motion stays in motion. Committments and routine keep us going.

The key to staying energized is to combine rest with activity all throughout the year, instead of just waiting for the holidays. If you can enjoy some downtime in the evenings or weekends you will benefit from it.

Cutting back on holiday fare will also help recharge your energy levels. Too much alcohol and junk food will leave you feeling tired, bloated and heavy.

Swaping to fresh whole foods will help to clear these food toxins (ie preservatives, added sugars, colors, flavors, etc.) and give your liver a healthy kickstart.

If you are not feeling like you’ve had a holiday and need help to rebalance your health and diet, book an appointment today and enjoy 2020 the way it should be.