The holidays can make it hard to stick to healthy practices or start new ones. Here are 10 tips to keep on track this holiday season with your health and wellness goals!

1. Stay active. Make staying active a group effort! Halftime, whether it’s an NFL game or a World Cup match, is the perfect time to pull the crew off the couch and out the door for a walk!  
   
   
   
   
2. Enjoy the flavors of the season. There tends to be an overabundance of treats around the holidays. Delight in these delicious things in moderation. Avoid skipping meals to “make up for” another. Take your time and enjoy the flavors, company and scenery. By slowing down, you are less likely to overeat. Release any feelings of guilt or shame if you do not navigate a meal as precisely as intended. 
   
   
   
   
3. Savor simplicity. Create and savor more simplicity. Where can simplicity be a theme? Your schedule, gifting, meal planning, or decorations?  
   
   
   
   
4. Connection. Reach out to family, friends and neighbors. A phone call, a text or a simple chat at the mailbox are all ways to keep connected. Remember that this benefits everyone.
   
   
   
   
5. Stay hydrated. During colder months our sense of thirst may diminish, and we may not think about drinking water as much as we do during the warmer seasons. Hydration remains just as important even though it is not on our minds as much. 
   
   
   
   
6. Get your vaccinations. Everyone six months and older should get an annual flu vaccine and get vaccinated or boosted against COVID-19.
   
   
   
   
7. Sleep is essential for good physical and mental health. Adults need at least 7 hours every day. If you are struggling to get the rest you need this holiday season, check out these tips for better sleep.
   
   
   
   
8. Be smoke-free. Smokers have greater health risks because of their tobacco use, but nonsmokers are also at risk when exposed to second-hand smoke. Need help quitting tobacco? Visit KSquit.org or 1-800-QUIT-NOW for free support.
   
   
   
   
9. Manage stress with a bit of balance. Avoid overscheduling or over-committing yourself. For stress relief, take deep breaths, stretch, meditate, or do an activity you enjoy, even if it’s just for 10 minutes. Talk with people you trust about how you’re feeling and write down the things you are grateful for. These coping tips can help—over the holidays and all year long.
   
   
   
   
10. Financial Health. Know your goals and spending limits before entering the store or browsing for deals online. Say within your preset plan. No deal is worth the stress of overspending.