Cheers to that

Warmer weather, afternoon swims and long days with open arms — there’s a lot to love about summer. However, maintaining our health through the silly season can be a challenge. As we celebrate the year that was and welcome in a new one, can we have our festive cake and eat it too? 

Naturopath Jennifer Ward believes we can. 

“Throughout the lockdowns there was a revival in people looking after their health, but now they’re feeling pressure to keep it up,” she says. “What we forget is that the social aspect of this time of year actually benefits our health.” 

Ward, who runs Hälsa Health on Paddington’s Regent St, says socialising reduces our stress hormones by helping us relax and get out of our heads. Although the silly season is traditionally associated with late nights and poor diet, according to Ward, it doesn’t have to be.

 “A lot of people have an on-off switch with their health — they’re either on a health kick or off the wagon,” she says. “Instead of having big spikes of good and bad, try accepting that a bit of socialising, booze and party food will be part of your regular routine at this time of year and find other ways to stay on track.”

The introduction of a few simple techniques can help maintain the thread of a healthy routine, while still indulging in some much needed fun. 

“If you’re going to an event where there’s going to be unhealthy canapés, eat something beforehand so you’re not starving and left with no choice. Also, setting up an early swim or breakfast with a friend the morning after a party makes you less likely to stay out too late,” Ward says.

According to the ‘Mindful Psychologist’ Madeleine Stone, whose practice is part of Hälsa Health, boundaries are an effective way to manage stress, especially when the Christmas-crazy sets in. 

“This season is a good opportunity to work out where your energy drains are. Treat it like an experiment and notice how different activities and people make you feel,” she says.

While it’s easy to get swept up in an endless stream of social and family commitments, Stone recommends getting clear on how many obligations you can realistically take on with the capacity you have.

 “Whenever you catch yourself using the word ‘should’, take a step back,” she says. “It’s often a signal you’re placing expectations that have a guilt attached. You don’t have to slave in the kitchen for hours if you’re already exhausted. Everyone will survive if you pick up croissants from the bakery instead.” 

For many of us, the race to the finish line of 2022 will be a hectic but welcome one. The lingering pandemic hangover has made the past year a tricky and tiring one to navigate.

 “What I’m seeing is real burn-out and fatigue,” Stone confirms. “So much has happened during the past three years and we haven’t really had a chance to recoup our energy back.”

Both Stone and Ward agree that as eager as we may be to see the end of this year, it’s important to take the time to finish it well. 

“Before we look forward it’s really important to reflect on the year, even if it was challenging,” Ward says. “Ask yourself what you learnt from the challenges and how you can bring those lessons into 2023.” 

It’s also good practice to tie up loose ends. Stone suggests prioritising any tasks you’ve procrastinated on, such as filing your tax return or sorting out the designated junk room in your house. As mundane as these chores seem, ticking them off will give you a much fresher start to 2023.

“Anything that feels like a weight, prioritise responding to it. Ask yourself what you want to take into the new year and what you want to leave behind,” Stone says.

It turns out, some of the best things to leave behind in 2022 are over-inflated New Year's resolutions. “We make these big, bold goals because they sound great when we tell other people,” Ward explains. “But in reality, they’re unachievable and set us up to fail.”

Ward suggests swapping out big resolutions for micro-goals: “Instead of committing to an ocean swim every day, try going once a week. So often we throw in the towel on healthy habits because we make them too hard.” 

There’s also a good argument for pushing out the start of your new year until February. “Everything stops in Sydney over January,” Ward points out. “So it’s not wise be going full speed ahead with a goal when it’s necessary to slow down. Listen to your body and respond to the season. Nature is always giving us what we need.”

Embracing a summer flow will naturally have us eating fresher, lighter foods which are good for detoxification, and the longer days will encourage us to move more organically, whether its swimming in the ocean or walking through markets. Ward says the change of season alone can be enough to reinvigorate and revitalise us. 

Stone agrees. “We can’t re-energise while we’re in the thick of ‘doing it all’. We need to take some time to strip our lives back to a bare minimum and do things that energise us,” she says.

Her prescription is to focus on setting daily intentions and commit to doing three small things every day that bring you pleasure — whether it’s a morning walk, a slow breakfast, or a short mindfulness practice. 

“We’ve forgotten this stuff doesn’t have to be hard and punishing ourselves with unrealistic goals never works. We cultivate far greater mental and physical wellbeing when we start with small acts of self-care and kindness,” Stone says.