With just ten days to go until Christmas, many people notice the same pattern every year: rising stress, disrupted sleep, irregular meals, and a sense of running on empty. For those over 40, this period can feel particularly challenging, as the body no longer bounces back in the way it once did.
December is not the time to push harder. It is the time to protect your energy.
At this stage of the month, the goal is not perfection. It is stability.
Why This Time of Year Feels Harder After 40
As we move through midlife, our ability to tolerate stress changes. Blood sugar becomes less flexible, sleep is more easily disturbed, and hormones respond more sharply to skipped meals, excess sugar, alcohol, and lack of rest.
Add social commitments, work deadlines, emotional pressures, and seasonal fatigue, and the body can quickly shift into survival mode.
This is often when people experience:
- Increased cravings
- Low mood or anxiety
- Digestive discomfort
- Poor sleep
- Feeling wired but exhausted
None of this is a failure. It is physiology.
The December Health Focus: Maintain, Don’t Deplete
Rather than aiming for drastic changes, the most supportive approach right now is maintenance.
1. Eat regularly
Skipping meals to “save calories” often leads to blood sugar crashes, irritability, and overeating later. Balanced meals with protein, fibre, and healthy fats help stabilise energy and mood.
2. Prioritise breakfast
A nourishing breakfast sets the tone for the entire day, especially for stress hormones. Protein at breakfast is particularly important at this time of year.
3. Support digestion
Rich foods, alcohol, and late meals place extra demand on digestion. Simple steps such as slowing down when eating, chewing well, and keeping meals balanced make a real difference.
4. Respect your need for rest
Late nights and early mornings quickly accumulate. Even small acts of rest — earlier nights, short walks, moments of quiet — help calm the nervous system.
5. Lower the pressure
Health does not need to be “all or nothing” in December. Supporting your body now makes January easier, not harder.
Looking Ahead Without Burning Out
The next ten days are about carrying yourself through the festive period with care, not control. When you support your body’s basic needs, it becomes easier to enjoy celebrations without feeling depleted.
Health in December is about preservation.
January is for rebuilding.
If you reach Christmas feeling steady rather than exhausted, you have already done something very important for your long-term wellbeing.
Warmly,
Milvia Pili, FNTP
Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner
