Five Signals Your Body Is Telling You and What You Can Do This Holiday Season to Stay on Track and Feel Better

In this article:

• The holiday season can be busy, stressful, and rewarding.
• As routine change and responsibilities grow, it’s more important than ever to listen to your body. 
• For fullness, brain fog, feeling dread or pressure, anxiety, and changes in sleep habits, here are some signs to watch for, what they may mean, and how you can address them.
• Keep in mind that it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider if you have concerns about any of your body’s signs. 
• Lark can support you 24/7 as you make healthy choices to lose weight and manage blood sugar, blood pressure, or other conditions with or without GLP-1s. 

The period from Thanksgiving to New Year’s is different from the rest of the year. It can feel festive, but also change schedules with holidays to plan for and events to attend. 

When routines change, it can interfere with healthy habits that we have the rest of the year. That means we may need to make an extra effort to meet our bodies’ needs for nutrition, activity, and more.  By listening to your body’s cues, you can respond in ways that give your body what it needs. 

Here’s what listening to your body means, and why it can help you feel your best. Read on for five signs your body may give you, and what you can do to listen and respond so you feel better all season long - and start the new year feeling refreshed and energized. Be sure to talk to a healthcare provider if you have any concerns about symptoms that you have. 

How to “Listen” to Your Body

“Listening to your body” means being open to its signals. It’s not just about what you hear with your ears. It’s about observing what you feel. You may notice changes in energy levels, hunger, sleep patterns, pain, or mood, for example. 

It can take practice to notice changes and figure out what they mean. When you first start tuning into your body, you may only be able to note that something is “off” or feels “different.” Over time, you may be able to identify specific signals, what they may mean, and how you may be able to respond. 

Over the holidays, taking time to listen to your body’s cues can help you make choices that keep you feeling your best. There’s good news: small actions, like drinking a cup of water, walking for a few minutes, and making a “worry list” can often make a big difference.

Cue: Fullness and Bloating

What you notice: You don’t feel many hunger signals, or they’re not on your usual schedule. You may not be as hungry for more nutritious foods like plain vegetables or lean proteins. Instead, you may find yourself reaching for cookies or other processed snacks before checking in with yourself about your hunger levels. Your eating schedule may be changed from normal.

What it may mean: Changes in schedules - say, from days off work, traveling, or attending social events - can affect your hunger and fullness patterns. In addition, what you eat has an impact. Often during the holidays, tempting treats seem to be everywhere. They’re in reach, and people are happy to share with you!

What you can do: Eating times and choices may change at social events or holiday meals, but make an extra effort to stick to your regular routine between special occasions. As much as possible, rely on vegetables, lean proteins, and other nutritious foods. Make a habit of checking in with your hunger before each meal, and with your fullness before each meal ends. 

Cue: Brain Fog

What you notice: It’s hard to concentrate, or you forget a lot. You may have to double or triple check your calendar to see which appointments or events you have scheduled, or you forget things like taking your lunch to work or bringing your list to the mall when you’re gift shopping. Everyday tasks may seem more complicated than usual. 

What it may mean: Brain fog can be the result of sleep disruptions, too much stress, mild dehydration, or fluctuations in blood sugar or energy levels if you’re not eating as well as usual. During the holiday season, there can be a lot for your mind to keep track of, combined with changes in your usual routine. 

What you can do: Be kind to yourself and help yourself out by using tools like lists, phone reminders, and calendars to help you remember. Support your brain function by getting adequate sleep and staying hydrated. Taking walks and getting other forms of exercise can help clear your head, reduce stress, and improve your ability to focus.

Cue: Dread or Feeling Pressure

What you notice: You’re not eager anymore. Instead, you wake up feeling overwhelmed by everything you feel that you need to do. You may even move more slowly or be less efficient because it feels like your to-do list is endless, so you never move closer to finishing it. 

What it may mean: These feelings can come from unrealistic expectations - from yourself or from other people. You may feel that everything depends on you - from keeping up with regular work, caregiving, and homemaking responsibilities, to additional responsibilities related to the holidays, like giving gifts, attending social events, making meals, and - often - being the invisible “magic” behind someone else’s holiday.

Sometimes, these feelings mean you need a break, whether it’s a break from work or from repetitive daily routines, or from holiday bustle. 

What you can do: Shift to doing only what you want to do, not what you feel other people think you should do. It’s okay - and healthy - to skip events you don’t want to attend. Schedule in rest time, and be okay with simplifying things. For example, gift cards are an easier option for gifts than hand-choosing each one individually. If you work, check if you have paid time off or vacation days available to use up before the end of the year.

Cue: Anxiety or Restlessness

What you notice: You feel on edge or ready to snap. It’s hard to relax, or you might have trouble sleeping. You might start to worry more than usual, or your mind might race to the worst-case scenario in multiple situations. You might notice muscle tension, fidgeting, shoulders hunched, or jaw clenching. 

What it may mean: Signs of anxiety or restlessness can result from stress related to having too much to do. That’s common during the holiday season, as many people experience pressures like family dynamics, a busier schedule, and expectations of perfection - at the same time you may be eating less nutritious foods than usual, being less physically active, or having less sleep or down time.

What you can do: Take some pressure off of yourself by giving yourself permission not to be perfect. Include stress management techniques each day. Examples include taking walks, phoning a friend, deep breathing, and taking short breaks to be alone if you’re feeling overwhelmed. It can also help to do progressive muscle relaxation. 

Cue: Changes in Sleep Habits

What you notice: You’re going to bed later or are having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Or, you may feel groggy when you wake up in the morning, or feel sleepy or low on energy during the day. 

What it may mean: Sleep disruptions and changes in energy can result from extra stress, changes in schedules, late-night holiday meals, and not enough physical activity during the day. These are all common during the holiday season. 

What you can do: It’s important to maintain a consistent sleep schedule, especially keeping your wake and sleep times the same each day. Set enough time aside each night for adequate rest. During the day, you can support better sleep by being physically active and avoiding heavy meals and caffeine later in the day. If you stay out late for a party, get back to your regular routine as soon as possible. Talk to your healthcare provider if you continue to have sleep difficulties.

Lark Can Help

The holidays can nourish your soul and your body. Lark can help you stay aware of choices so you can enjoy holidays more and stick to your regular routine the rest of the time. Your Lark coach is available 24/7 for encouragement, nutrition and physical activity coaching, and habit tracking. Lark can help you make healthy choices and establish habits that fit into your lifestyle so you can lose weight and keep it off with or without GLP-1 medications. 

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