The holiday season - from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day - is a time for family gatherings, holiday parties and festive feasts. Though there are many reasons to celebrate, the holidays often also bring on especially busy schedules, lack of sleep, too much food and drink, and varying degrees of stress. To maintain your holiday cheer and keep your stress levels to a minimum, here are some healthy ways to take care of yourself.

Be prepared

Stress is often caused by last-minute panic. Instead of cluttering your mind with all the gifts you have to buy, the grocery list, appointments and your kids’ vacation schedule, get a pad and write lists - starting today! Get your to-do’s on paper so you can clear your head, stay prepared and stress less.

Don’t procrastinate

Putting important things on the back burner for “later” is setting you up for that dreaded last-minute panic. It’s helpful to write things down, but it’s essential that you start doing things on your list, too. Commit to doing one or two to-do’s every day and enjoy a relaxed and happy holiday season.

Sleep

It’s cliché, but it’s one of the most health-benefiting things you can do for yourself (and your loved ones). Lack of sleep raises your cortisol (stress hormone) levels, makes you a scatter brain, darkens your mood and compromises your mental and physical health. Aim for seven hours a night or at least adding an extra hour to your current sleep schedule. You’ll feel infinitely better and much more capable of handling the usual holiday debacles.

Eat and drink - but not too much

The holidays are known for lavish meals and spirited drinks - and you shouldn’t deprive yourself at the festive feasts or holiday parties. But you shouldn’t overdo it, either. The extra calories you consume will near inevitably lead to weight gain and most likely to digestive upset and feeling sluggish. Before you dive in or drink up, ask yourself “Is a large serving necessary, and does this really taste that good?” If not, don’t eat it! Here a few more diet strategies.

• Eat a small healthy meal every four hours to keep your energy up and avoid binging caused by being too hungry.
• Stay hydrated with at least 64 ounces of water to stay refreshed and to sidestep false hunger signals often caused from dehydration.
• Have a snack before heading to holiday parties or shopping excursions so you don’t arrive at the party or mall ravenous and ready to eat whatever you see.
• Eat slowly and savoringly. Pleasure in your meal with all of your senses, chewing slowly and truly tasting what is in your mouth. (And if it doesn’t taste that good, stop eating it - and be sure to tune in to your body so you can stop eating when you are full.)
• Limit your alcohol to one or two drinks at gatherings or make spritzers by cutting your wine or liquor with club soda. Too much alcohol will lead to a hangover as well as loosen your inhibitions around food.
• Start your meal with a green salad - experts say it may reduce your total caloric intake for that meal because you are filling up with a lower-calorie dish before the entrée.
• Watch your portions. Have a couple of bites - as opposed to large servings - of each offering at the holiday table. You’ll get to taste each and every dish and avoid feeling deprived.

Move it

Despite the holiday mayhem, fit exercise into your schedule. Not only will physical activity reduce your holiday stress, it will help you stay healthy and burn off the extra holiday helpings of food and drink. Commit to 20 to 30 minutes a day - break it up, if necessary. Go for a walk with your family, hit the gym for a spin class, take Fido for a jog or check out the plethora of free exercise videos on the Internet (Try ExerciseTV.tv, WomensHealthMag.com or newcomer SlimTree.com).

Pamper yourself

Like most women, you may have the “helper syndrome” and think you don’t have time for a manicure, pedicure, massage or even bubble bath, but the truth is you need to take care of yourself as well. At least one day a week, schedule an appointment with your local salon or spa or simply sink into a candlelit warm bath of bubbles and relax. If you are worried about that guilty niggle that happens whenever you decide to do something for yourself, just remember that in order for you to succeed in helping others, you absolutely have to help yourself first.

Cheers to happy healthy holidays!