Christmas week is here, a time for connection, slowing down, and hopefully not lifting too many awkwardly shaped boxes. But even during the lovely festive pause, your spine and nervous system benefit from consistency.
The holidays can be surprisingly hard on the body. Long car journeys, soft sofas, unusual mattresses, hauling food shopping, hours sitting at the table are all things that pull your posture out of its normal rhythm. Add colder weather and more sitting indoors, and the spine can get a bit grumpy.
Here are some simple Christmas-week keep-you-well habits:
A Christmas Day walk isn’t just tradition, it’s a must. Movement keeps your spine happy and your brain bright. Dancing works too!
After dinner, everyone ends up in the classic ‘sideways-on-the-sofa’ position. Lovely… until the next morning. Try to keep your hips and shoulders aligned and swap sides often. Better still, if you need to lie down, go to a bed.
Turkeys, hampers, kids’ presents and lots of small lifts add up. Bend your knees, engage your core, breathe. Seems a lot, but with all the other temptations, a poor lift could be the straw that broke the camels back.
Your joints and discs love water. A glass of water between festive drinks works wonders. I like to get my water in early, and drink lots of water early to save the dehydration later. And for those of you who live in my village, no I don’t want a pint of water in the pub on Christmas Day. (Beer will suffice).
Merry Christmas all,
Tom
