Five ways to reduce fatigue during the very busy festive season

The festive season is a wonderful time of celebration, connection, and joy, but it’s also one of the most exhausting times of the year. Late nights, social commitments, alcohol, heavy meals, stress, and disrupted routines can easily leave your energy feeling flat by mid-December.

Fatigue at this time of year is common, but it’s not inevitable. With a few supportive habits, you can protect your energy and move through the festive season feeling more grounded, stable, and resilient.

Here are five ways to stay energised during even the busiest weeks.

1. Protect your sleep (even if your nights are later than usual)

Sleep is the foundation of your winter energy, and unfortunately, the festive season is one of the biggest disruptors. Between late-night parties, alcohol, end-of-year deadlines and general overstimulation, both the length and quality of sleep can take a hit.

Alcohol, for instance, may help you fall asleep faster, but it significantly reduces REM sleep; the stage essential for emotional regulation, memory, and feeling refreshed the next day. Late nights also shift your circadian rhythm, meaning cortisol (your natural morning wake-up hormone) doesn’t rise in its usual pattern. This can leave you feeling groggy, heavy, and tired, no matter how many hours you spent in bed.

The fix isn’t perfection, it’s consistency. Even if your bedtime varies, try to keep your wake-up time stable. This single shift helps anchor your body clock and keeps your energy more predictable - even during a chaotic month.

A few more sleep-supportive tips:

• Dim lights and screens an hour before bed to help your brain wind down
• Swap your final drink for calming herbal tea instead of alcohol
• Keep your room cool and dark
• Build a quick bedtime ritual (stretching, hot shower, breathing) to signal “switch off”

2. Nourish your energy: balance your plate and boost nutrient density

The festive season tends to be beige: buffet food, party snacks, pastries, sandwiches, sweets. It’s no surprise that fatigue creeps in when our diets tilt towards refined carbohydrates and away from the foods that support steady energy.

Blood sugar spikes and dips are one of the most common, overlooked drivers of festive fatigue. When meals are heavy on carbohydrates but low in protein, fibre or healthy fats, your blood sugar rises quickly and then drops sharply, leaving you tired, hungry, and craving more sugar, which continues the cycle.

Your antidote: focus on balanced meals and nutrient density to help stabilise your blood sugar. For each meal, aim for:

• A source of protein
• Plenty of colour (vegetables or fruit)
• Fibre-rich carbohydrates (quinoa, barley, oats, beans, potatoes)
• Healthy fats (nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocado)

This combination slows digestion, supports satiety, and keeps energy stable for longer. Nutrient-dense foods will also help your mitochondria (your energy factories), whereas heavy festive foods often lack key micronutrients that support energy production, such as B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium, iron, zinc and antioxidants.

But nutrient-dense swaps don’t need to be complicated:

• Add a handful of leafy greens, stewed apple with cinnamon and ginger or warmed berries for breakfast.
• Choose soups with protein and vegetables rather than pastries on busy days.
• Add two extra portions of veg to dinners and aim for a range of colours.
• Carry nuts, seeds, or whole fruit (not dried) as snacks, if needed.

You don’t need to avoid festive foods; just add more nourishment alongside them.

3. Find tiny moments of rest and protect your boundaries

December often pushes people into “go mode”: parties, school events, work socials, travel, shopping, hosting, and planning. Rest becomes an afterthought, and before long, nervous-system fatigue shows up as irritability, low mood, brain fog, and deep tiredness.

The truth is, most people don’t need an entire day of rest, but they (you) do need micro-rest.

Micro-rest is the practice of inserting tiny pockets of recovery into your day. As little as 60 seconds of slow breathing or pausing between tasks can lower cortisol, reduce tension, and stabilise energy. Try:

• 4–6 deep belly breaths before meals
• Pausing for 1 minute between tasks
• Putting your phone down and scrolling less (the stimulation is often too much)
• A 10-minute walk to reset your mind, body and blood sugar

These small interventions are powerful. And then there are boundaries…

Much of festive fatigue comes not from physical tiredness, but from overcommitting. Saying yes when your body is quietly begging for a night in. Arriving at every event because you feel you “should.” Hosting because it’s expected.

Protecting your energy sometimes means saying no; kindly, firmly, and without guilt. You can try:

• “I’d love to, but I’m keeping this evening free to rest. I know I need to.”
• “I’m at capacity this week. Can we plan something in January?”
• “Thank you for thinking of me. I need a quiet night tonight, but I appreciate the invite.”

Your energy is one of your most valuable resources. Treat it like one.

4. Use daylight and gentle movement to keep your energy stable

Winter fatigue is strongly linked to reduced exposure to daylight. Shorter days and long stretches indoors blunt your circadian rhythm, keeping melatonin higher for longer and making it harder to feel naturally awake.

Getting outside within the first 1–2 hours of the day, even for 10 minutes, can significantly improve alertness and stabilise your energy. Pair this with light movement, and the effect is even stronger.

Movement doesn’t need to be intense. In fact, heavy workouts can worsen fatigue when you’re already stressed, under slept, or overextended. Instead, think:

• 10–20-minute gentle but frequent walks
• Gentle strength training (leave the PBs until January)
• Yoga or stretching
• Mobility sessions

Movement increases blood flow, supports the lymphatic system (important for immune health), boosts mood, and regulates blood sugar - all essential during a high-stress season.

5. Support your immune system to prevent energy slumps

Winter viruses are one of the biggest drains on festive energy. Even mild infections can leave you tired for days because your immune system uses a significant amount of energy to fight pathogens.

Supporting your immune resilience helps protect your energy more than you might realise.

Key nutrients to consider:

• Vitamin D: Essential for immune regulation and overall energy. Winter levels are typically low in the UK, and supplementation is usually recommended as food sources are not enough.
• Vitamin C: Supports white blood cell function and antioxidant defence.
• Food sources: kiwi, citrus fruits, peppers, berries, broccoli, kale.
• Zinc: Supports immune cell development and function.
• Food sources: shellfish, pumpkin seeds, poultry, beans, nuts.
• Selenium: Supports antioxidant enzymes and immune signalling.
• Food sources: Brazil nuts, fish, eggs, wholegrains.

Check out our immune blog here and more insight on zinc and selenium here.

So don’t let fatigue define your festive season. With balanced meals, consistent sleep, micro-rest, gentle movement and immune support, you can navigate December with more energy, calm, and a much stronger sense of wellbeing.