Beware of these Holiday Health Hazards

Christmas season is here again. Soon, there will be more gatherings involving family, friends, and lots of food. While it’s the perfect time to celebrate and be joyful, it still helps to be cautious and be aware of some health hazards.

Sleep problems are among them. Usually, people sacrifice sleep in order to make the most of their days and attend as many events or do as much shopping as they could. Sleep is also compromised when people work longer hours, eager to complete tasks to meet year-end deadlines or clear their backlogs before taking a break from work. Holiday trips can also disrupt sleep. Long flights cause jetlag; unfamiliar bedrooms can keep one from sleeping comfortably.

While the idea of missing sleep doesn’t seem so bad at first, it can lead to serious problems when done repeatedly. Besides lowering immunity, it can also cause weight gain and increased stress level. Studies also show that it makes a person more prone to depression and getting involved in car accidents.

Stress can also be a huge problem among people during the Christmas season. According to Jennifer Caudle, DO, a board-certified family physician and assistant professor at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford, New Jersey, people usually overcommit themselves around the holidays.

Among the sexes, women find it harder to manage their time. In fact, a study from the American Psychological Association reveals that 44% of women reported to have increased stress level around the holidays while for men, the figure was only 31%.

Food poisoning is another health hazard to avoid. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 48 million people are hospitalized each year because of food poisoning. This is why people should be more careful when preparing meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs. To keep bacteria from contaminating food, meat should be cooked under the right amount of temperature. It’s also wise to store leftovers properly within two hours instead of leaving them sitting out for a long time.

The risk of having a heart attack also increases among individuals during the holidays. The causes include stress and too heavy meals. Some also try to ignore what their bodies are telling them. One example is ignoring chest pains, not wanting to interrupt the festivities. Lots of people also skip meds when there are too many things happenings around them.

Holidays are fun and exciting, but they should not be used as an excuse to stop caring about one’s health. In fact, everyone should be more careful during these days, given all these risks.

If you want to relax and get rid of stress, spend a night or two at Nurture Wellness Village. Here, you can take advantage of a wide array of spa and wellness services that will allow you to get rid of stress. These services will help you achieve your wellness goals, too. Nurture Wellness Village also has an in-house restaurant called Gabriela, where you can have healthy and delicious meals.