Tomorrow will be December the first.

A month later, it’ll be January the first, and very many people will be quite briefly making a concerted effort to get healthier.

So, let’s get a head start, so that we can hit January already in great health!

December’s traps to plan around

In North America at least, common calendar-specific health problems associated with December are:

• Infectious diseases (seasonal flu and similar unpleasantries)
• Inactivity (seasonal weather)
• Slower metabolism (seasonal eating and drinking, plus seasonal weather)
• Alcohol (seasonal drinking)
• Stress (seasonal burdens)

So, let’s plan around those!

But first, sleep

Nothing will go well if we are not well-rested. There are six dimensions of sleep, but the ones that matter the most are regularity and duration, so plan for those and the rest should fall into place:

Calculate (And Enjoy) The Perfect Night’s Sleep

Skip those viruses

If you’re doing the rest of what we advise, your immune system will probably be in good shape, unless you have some chronic disease that means you are immunocompromised, in which case the next things will be extra important:

• Avoid enclosed spaces with lots of people where possible
• Ventilation is your friend (as is air filtration)
• Masks don’t protect against everything, but they do protect against a lot
• Wash your hands more often than you think is necessary (invest in luxurious soap, to make it a more pleasant experience, then you’re more likely to do it often!)
• Breathe through your nose, not your mouth (nostril hairs attract floating particles by static charge, and then dispose of intruders via mucus)

See also: The Pathogens That Came In From The Cold

Plan your movement

But, realistically. Let’s face it, unless you already have such a habit, you’re not going to be hitting the gym at 6am every day, or be out pounding pavement.

The weather often makes us more reluctant to exercise, so if that sound like you, plan something low-key but sustainable that will set you in good stead ready for the new year. Here are two approaches; you can do both if you like, but picking at least one is a good idea:

1. Commit to just a few minutes of high-intensity exercise each day. If you don’t have equipment, then bodyweight squats are a great option.
2. Commit to gentle exercises each day—pick some stretches and mobility drills you like, and focus on getting supple for the new year.

See also: How To Keep On Keeping On, When Motivation Isn’t High ← this isn’t a motivational pep talk; it’s tricks and hacks to make life easier while still getting good results!

Fuel in the tank

It’s fine if you eat more in winter. We even evolved to put on a few pounds around this time of year. However, to avoid sabotaging your health, it’s good to do things mindfully. Pick one main dietary consideration to focus on, for example “anti-inflammatory” or “antidiabetic” or “nutrient-dense”.

Those focused ways of eating will, by the way, have a huge amount of overlap. But by picking one specific factor to focus on, it simplifies food choices at a time of year when supermarkets are deliberately overwhelming us with choices.

If you’re having a hard time picking just one thing to focus on, then we recommend:

What Matters Most For Your Heart?

About that festive spirit…

Alcohol consumption goes up around this time of year, partly for social reasons, partly for “it’s cold and the marketing says alcohol warms us up” reasons, and partly for stress-related reasons. We’re sure you know it sabotages your health, so choose your path:

How To Reduce Or Quit Alcohol, or

How To Reduce The Harm Of Festive Drinking (Without Abstaining)

Relax and unwind, often

There’s a lot going on in December: consumerism is running high, everyone wants to sell you something, finances can be stressful, social/familial obligations can be challenging sometimes too, and Seasonal Affective Disorder is at its worst.

Make sure to regularly take some time out to take care of yourself, and make sure you’re doing the things you want to do or really have to do, not just things you feel you’re expected to do.

Different people can have very different challenges at this time of year, so it’s hard to give a “one size fits all” solution here (and we don’t have the room to cover every possible thing today). You know your life best, so think what you’re most likely to want/need for you this month, and make sure you get it.

At the very least, most of us will benefit from taking a few minutes to consciously relax, and often, so something that is almost always a good idea for that is:

No-Frills, Evidence Based Mindfulness

…but if you’re feeling in a more playful mood, consider:

Meditation Games You’ll Actually Enjoy!

Take care!