Staying Beautiful During the Holiday Season
- Dec 19, 2025
- 3 min read
By Mary-Beth Newell, RN, MS
As we embark on the holiday season, we may let our beauty and exercise routines wane in the hustle and bustle. Who doesn’t enjoy parties, special cocktails and those yummy holiday goodies? We can indulge and still feel good about ourselves! Incorporating a few daily changes can lead to us feeling and looking beautiful.
If getting to the gym or carving out an hour to exercise at home is a “no-go”, then add exercise into your everyday tasks! Some of my favorite “I don’t have time to exercise” tips include strapping on leg weights while I clean the house, shop or wrap presents. Park as far away from the store or office as you can. Not only will you feel less stressed as parking spots farther away tend to be plentiful, but you’ll also get an extra 500 steps in! Everyone brushes their teeth, consider adding in squats or leg lifts as you are standing there. If you need to get caught up on social media, instead of sitting on the couch try walking around the house. Another great tip is to walk up the steps if you are going up one floor or when going down two stories.
Sleep is vitally important to controlling our appetite, feeling energized and looking refreshed. Women who are menstruating, have PMS, post-partum, peri or post-menopausal are more prone to having poor sleep quality. Think of sleep as another beauty routine. If you do not sleep well, your appetite regulating hormones are flip-flopped. Ghrelin, which tells us we are hungry, is in over-drive and leptin which tells us we are full is sleeping. No wonder we get ravenous after having a poor night’s sleep! Avoiding alcohol goes a long way to improving sleep quality. Even one 5 ounce glass of wine can disrupt your sleep quality by 24%. A cooler bedroom, ideally 65 degrees, will improve your sleep quality. Try using lavender pillow spray or aromatherapy to help you relax. Avoid blue light which wakes us up. Blue light is emitted from our phones, televisions, smoke detectors and cable boxes. For those girls who like to watch Netflix at night, consider purchasing amber glasses that will block the blue light and let you watch your favorite show before bed. Guided meditation can help us to relax our muscles, clear our mind and prepare us for restful, rejuvenating sleep.
One of the easiest ways we can improve our skin tone, reduce headaches, maintain our joint health and reduce brain fog is to be well hydrated. Water is liquid gold! 80% of our cartilage is made up of water. When you are well hydrated it is easier to exercise and recover. Even a 2% reduction in hydration can lead to memory impairment, depressed mood and reduced response time.
In the afternoon when we think we need a cup of coffee or a piece of candy, most likely what we need is a glass of water. Drinking a glass of water before a meal or party keeps us from overeating, consuming too much alcohol and improves our digestion. Keep a glass of water at your bedside and drink it when you wake up. It is a great habit to hydrate after sleep and before that first cup of dehydrating coffee. There are so many forms of water; sparkling, alkaline or infused. Ever wonder we can’t get enough water at the spa? It is infused with cucumbers. Make a pitcher for yourself and indulge! These easy to incorporate tips will leave you feeling and looking beautiful during the hectic and busy holiday season.
Connect With Mary-Beth
Comments