Why it’s okay to say no to festive fatigue this season…
Whilst we’re all preparing for the fun of the festive season, sometimes it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and like it’s really just a bit too much fuss.
Is there a such thing as having a bit too much festive fun? Here’s something that we forget when prying ourselves out of our comfies and blankets on the sofa to go to that ‘obligatory’ Christmas do a random colleague or aunt we don’t speak to has ‘forced’ us to say yes to. We’re adults in control of our own time, and it’s okay to say no. Especially when your health is at stake from social jet lag.
Social Jet lag is when your internal body clock shifts with your changing sleeping patterns- usually down to being present at various social events and staying up late! But more than just feeling knackered after a few late nights, social jetlag usually means eating naughty treats outside of your usual eating routine, drinking, and sub-optimal digestion. Alwhich can wreak havoc on your gut health in the lead-up to Christmas!
Researchers at Kings College London for a new European Journal of Nutrition and Professor Tim Spector have found that social jet lag is responsible for diet quality, diet habits, gut microbiome composition and inflammation. Concluding that ‘Novel associations between social jet lag and a more disadvantageous gut microbiome in a cohort of predominantly adequate sleepers highlight the potential implications of social jet lag for health.’
In short, they tested otherwise healthy people who usually have a good diet and circadian rhythm (quality of sleep), to see if the changes due to social jet lag affect their gut microbiome. The test revealed that these people had a higher abundance of microbiomes associated with poor gut health, with 3 out of 6 of them linking to inflammation, poor diet, obesity, and even cardiovascular risk.
Poor gut health and lack of sleep can have a huge impact on our everyday lives from feeling more fatigued, causing low moods, digestive issues and even skin problems.
This doesn’t always have to be because you're ‘out out’ all the time though, your body can even feel the effects of social jet lag if you’re simply not getting enough sleep, are so busy you don’t make time to eat as you would normally or even taking on extra shift work over the festive period.
So what can we do to take the pressure off and give our bodies some rest this winter?
Simply exercising your right to say, ‘no I don’t fancy it’ or ‘I’m knackered from work’ might seem like excuses but could help you feel less overwhelmed and give your body the chance to catch up.
It's your Christmas too, only go to the things you actually want to and prioritise your health.
On top of poor gut health, the social aspect of the festive season can also impact your mental health, with the stress of Christmas shopping, to trying to fit in everything, everyone and ‘do it all’.
Keep Christmas fun by following our top tips to stay in control of your well-being this year...
1. Don’t feel obligated to say yes to anything your mind and body need a break from where you can, including parties, hosting or even buying unnecessary presents!
2. Try to stick to your usual sleeping and eating routines as much as possible, this will mean when you do go out and have some Christmas treats and late nights, you can really enjoy them without causing too much damage to your gut health or sleeping pattern. Sticking to your CollaSlim meals when you can allows you to be more flexible with what you can eat at that Christmas buffet, without going overboard. Everything in moderation is key!
3. Set budgets and stick to them- for both your money and time! Don’t put too much pressure on yourself and become overstretched.
4. Get organised- start your planning early whether that be your social calendar, Christmas shopping or even booking a food shop delivery, so you can make sure there’s also time for you.
5. Speaking of you: make sure you take time to relax, rest and take in all of the festive feels. Whether you snuggle on the sofa with a Christmas film and a cup of hot chocolate Collaslim, or take a walk in the crisp winter sun.
6. Don’t miss out on your daily dose of collagen. If you’re having a break from your CollaSlim plan, be sure to still get your daily dose of collagen with our Peptigen+. Made to support your gut, skin, hair, nails and bones so you can look and feel your best this Christmas!
Most of all, have a great festive season and don’t wait until January to put your health and wellbeing first.