Enjoying the holidays while preventing illness

Sandra Hardee, MD

Occupational Medicine

Holidays are a time meant for connection. We share meals, celebrate traditions and enjoy time spent with family, friends and other loved ones. Unfortunately, there’s a downside to all that togetherness … the inevitable post-holiday illness that leaves you coughing, sneezing and relying on chicken noodle soup, ginger ale and Saltines to get you through the day.

Occupational-environmental specialist Sandra Hardee, MD, offered tips on how to enjoy the holidays without getting sick.

Get some sleep … and some exercise

“In the end, it’s worth starting right at the basics. Adults need about seven to nine hours of restful, ideally uninterrupted sleep each night,” said Dr. Hardee. “Lack of sleep makes you more vulnerable to viral or bacterial infections.”

Dr. Hardee also recommended staying hydrated with caffeine-free options like water or herbal teas and also avoiding overdoing it on sugar and alcohol.

Regular exercise, which can be as simple and easy as a 30-minute walk after your evening meal, has also been shown to improve immune function. No time for a long walk? Even a quick routine like one of our Mini Movewell exercises can help!

Holiday gatherings when your immune system is suppressed

“For immunocompromised individuals, the idea of gatherings can feel nerve-wracking and worrying,” said Dr. Hardee. “The risk of picking up an illness your body isn’t able to fight off can feel like just too much. There are steps you can take to protect yourself.”

Dr. Hardee advised that those with suppressed or compromised immune systems do the following:

• Keep your holiday gatherings small and avoid larger, crowded events
• Encourage loved ones who are currently ill to stay home this year and make plans for future get togethers once they’re healthy again
• Celebrate outdoors or in well-ventilated spaces like a porch or patio
• Schedule your arrival early when the group is still small, before the crowd grows
• Stay for a short period of time so you can enjoy the time connecting with people without prolonged exposure
• Use hand sanitizer before you eat or touch items that are shared
• Make sure you’re current on your flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines
• Wear a well-fitted mask in crowded areas, when greeting people or in rooms with poor ventilation

Stay healthy by staying stress-free

“I know the idea of a stress-free holiday can feel like an impossible task for many of us,” said Dr. Hardee. “But making intentional choices to manage stress and encourage physical and mental well-being can make a huge difference in your health through the holiday season.”

Keep a consistent time to head to bed and wake up each day. Making sure you’re well-rested, well-hydrated and getting in regular exercise helps prevent fatigue and burnout.

“I also heavily encourage you to be proactive about managing stress,” said Dr. Hardee. “Say ‘no’ when you need to. Ask others to take on tasks if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Keep expectations realistic and remind yourself that your happy holiday is just as important as everyone else’s.”

Consider new traditions to keep things fresh

“We know that new experiences are as good for our physical health as they are for our mental health,” Dr. Hardee said. “Creating new and meaningful traditions for your families can bring you closer together while cutting out all the advertising ‘noise’ that feels like it surrounds us at this time of year.”

Ideas for new traditions might include:

• Helping at a local food bank or soup kitchen
• Working with local nonprofits for put together holiday baskets
• Choosing names off an ‘angel tree’ to donate Christmas presents to underprivileged children
• Volunteering at a senior center or assisted living facility
• Serving meals at a homeless shelter

“The holidays can definitely be stressful, and all that stress hurts our body’s ability to fight illness,” said Dr. Hardee. “Taking steps to change things up, create new traditions and really emphasize supporting your well-being this year could make all the difference.”