Hello, Yahoo readers! My name is Rachel Grumman Bender, and this is your weekly wellness boost to help you feel your best in the week ahead.
I can’t believe we’re officially in December (how??). Holiday stress can stack up quickly this time of year, thanks to packed calendars, pricey plane tickets and the pressure to make the season “magical” without blowing your budget. But while scrolling on your phone may sound like an easy way to escape the madness, it may be secretly sabotaging your mood.
Taking a social media break can help. In a recent study, published in JAMA Network Open, people who took a time-out from platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X for one week felt less anxious and depressed and slept better.
Yes, social media has its benefits — it helps us stay connected to family and friends in our busy lives (especially if you’re not a big fan of chatting on the phone like me), and let’s not forget those funny memes and cute animal videos. But it can also tank your mood, fast. “Social media for many people stokes comparison with unrealistic expectations,” Dr. Gail Saltz, associate professor of psychiatry at the NY Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell School of Medicine, tells Self. Thea Gallagher, a clinical associate professor at NYU Langone Health and cohost of the Mind in View podcast, says that alone can increase anxiety and depression. But, she adds, “even just taking a one-week break from this constant comparison can have a benefit for your mental health.”
If a week offline sounds daunting, start small by logging off for a day and gradually building from there.
Want a simple way to jump-start your social media break? Ditch your phone and take a long nature walk. But before you step outside, take a look at your local forecast. If you’re a fan of astrology, check out your horoscope too. Then choose “one small thing” to focus on your health this week. Let’s get into it.
❄️ Exercise like a Scandinavian
With the temperatures dropping, staying curled up on your couch sounds a lot more appealing than heading outside for some exercise. But don’t let the cold stop you (unless you’re hit with a polar vortex, of course). Instead, take a cue from Scandinavians, who stay active in every season (there’s a reason Scandinavian countries rank as some of the healthiest in the world). Try Nordic walking, or strolling with long poles, which can give you a full-body workout. Or simply put on some layers and take a walk outside, even if it’s a bit brisk. Karolina Rhenman, a Swedish certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor, tells Self that there’s a saying in Sweden that translates to: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” Just be sure to warm up before heading outside to get blood flow going and prevent stiff muscles. And while you’re at it, maybe try sleeping like a Scandinavian too?
🚨 Beat desk drowsiness
Struggling to keep your eyes open after a long meeting that could have been an email? Sure, the real fix is prioritizing getting a good night’s sleep, but here’s what you can do for an immediate pick-me-up (beyond guzzling coffee): Head to the bathroom and splash some cold water on your face. Or, if you can hop out, go on a brisk walk. “Light exercise does help get the heart rate going and gets certain hormones and neurohormones flowing that can help stave off fatigue,” Tony Cunningham, a clinical psychologist and director of the Center for Sleep and Cognition, tells CNN. Have your own office? Shut the door and take a micro power nap. “A nap as short as six minutes has been shown to increase alertness,” says Cunningham.
🍲 Grab a quick protein-packed lunch
If you feel like you’ve run out of fresh ideas for lunch that are both easy to make and good for you, here’s some inspiration (it’s even doctor-recommended!). Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein, an orthopedic surgeon I follow on Instagram, recently shared her easy grab-and-go lunch, which she’s eaten “hundreds of times over the last 15 years”: Dr. McDougall’s vegan split pea soup, Siggi’s Icelandic nonfat vanilla yogurt and an apple. The humble lunch packs a surprising nutritional punch, with 33 grams of protein and 22 grams of fiber, along with a variety of antioxidants.
🫛 Eat some edamame
These small, slippery beans aren’t just fun to pop out and eat; they’re also full of B vitamins, fiber and magnesium, and they’re a complete protein, which means they have all nine essential amino acids (not too shabby for a plant-based food), reports USA Today. Half a cup of edamame has about four grams of fiber and nine grams of protein, which is surprisingly a bit more than you’d find in an egg. Edamame is great on its own as a snack (just steam them and sprinkle on some sea salt), or try this edamame hummus recipe.
🚿 Say goodbye to slimy shower curtains
Anyone who has ever owned a shower curtain knows they tend to get funky after a while. That’s because the moisture in your bathroom is exactly the type of environment that mold thrives in. Here’s how to fight back: After a bath or shower, use a squeegee to remove leftover water from shower walls and dry off damp bathroom surfaces with a washcloth, William Nazaroff, a professor emeritus of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California at Berkeley, tells the Washington Post. Ventilation is also key. Open a window or run an exhaust fan during and after showering until the fog on your bathroom mirror clears. And don’t leave your shower curtain bunched up after you bathe — open it up to help it dry, but leave about six inches of space on each end to allow air to circulate between the shower and the rest of the bathroom.
🎁 Give a thoughtful (and healthy) host gift
Is your calendar already filling up with holiday dinners and parties? Etiquette experts (and probably your mom) say you shouldn’t show up empty-handed. While there’s nothing wrong with classic gifts like a bottle of wine or some flowers, celebrity chef Ina Garten suggests switching it up by bringing something your host can enjoy post-party (and it’s a lot healthier than alcohol), such as coffee beans or homemade granola. “I always try and bring something that they can have the next day, but not something they feel compelled to serve during the meal,” she tells Real Simple.
💦 Use a humidifier to save your skin
Chilly winters can leave your skin feeling as dry and delicate as tissue paper. Here’s what can help: moisturizing and strengthening your skin barrier, the top layer of skin that acts like a shield, keeping water in and bacteria, allergens and pollutants out. Humidifiers are a simple way to bring moisture back into your home. “Using a humidifier, particularly at night, can really help improve the skin barrier,” Dr. Shari Lipner, associate professor of clinical dermatology at Weill Cornell Medicine, tells Today. Other skin-saving tips: Skip those hot, steamy showers. They may feel good, but doing them on a regular basis can strip your skin of moisture and disrupt the skin barrier, leaving you with dry, irritated skin. Instead, wash up in warm water (or even cool water if you’re just washing your face) and stick with short showers, about 10 minutes or less. Using certain skin care products can also help. Lipner suggests looking for lotions with humectant ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which helps skin retain water, and ceramides, which help repair and support the skin barrier.
💉 Talk to your doctor about the shingles shot
The shingles vaccine is 90% effective at protecting against the painful infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus (the same one behind chickenpox). But recent research suggests the vaccine has other benefits; it may also reduce the risk of developing dementia and slow down the disease in people who already have it, reports CNN. If more research confirms these findings, experts say it would be “groundbreaking for dementia.” While this latest study focused on an older shingles vaccine made with a weakened live virus (which has been replaced in the U.S. by the non-live shingles vaccine, Shingrix), other research suggests the non-live vaccine may also be linked to a lower risk of dementia. So who should get the shot? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults 50 and older, as well as those 19 and older with a weakened immune system, get two doses of the shingles vaccine.
🙆♂️ Ease into your morning with gentle stretches
Before you grab your morning mug of coffee or jump into the shower, start your day with some gentle stretches (you can even do them in your PJs). Tom’s Guide has fitness instructor Justin Agustin’s quick seven-move stretch routine, which boosts energy and eases aches and pains. “It helps lubricate your joints, preventing pain, and it also primes your muscles for the day ahead,” Agustin says. “If done consistently in the morning, it can also improve flexibility and balance.” The seven stretches are: a single leg swing (gently swinging your leg across to the opposite side), knee taps (slowly raising your knees and tapping them with your hands), side rotations, shoulder rolls, standing leg marches, arm raises and an overhead side stretch. Agustin recommends 10 to 15 reps per exercise, if you have time, or doing each move for 30 to 60 seconds.
💄 Wash off makeup before bed
You may be exhausted after your third holiday party of the night, but don’t crash out without removing your makeup. It not only clogs pores, which can lead to breakouts, but it can actually be harmful: “If you sleep in your makeup, tiny particles can flake off and get stuck beneath the eyelid,” Dr. Ashley Brissette, an ophthalmologist in New York City, tells Real Simple. “That can cause irritation or even scratch the surface of the eye, which may lead to an infection.” (Using micellar cleansing water is a gentle way to remove makeup.)
