3 Steps to Recover from Post-Holiday Burnout
The holidays are a wonderful — yet often exhausting — whirlwind of fun and connection. If you’re feeling a little run-down or full-on burned out and don’t feel like you have it in you to even make New Year’s goals, this can still be a great time to shift your focus and work on your health. We frequently see new and returning clients experiencing post-holiday burnout, struggling with fatigue, bloating, hormonal imbalances, and low mood. The good news? You can reset your body and regain your energy. Let’s dive into how you can nurture your hormones, gut, and energy levels to bounce back and thrive in 2025.
Step 1: Support Your Hormones
The stress of the holiday season—both physical and emotional—can wreak havoc on your hormones, especially cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. Cortisol impacts your energy, sleep, and even your weight. After weeks of heightened activity and indulgence, it’s crucial to create calm and restore balance.
Prioritize Restful Sleep
Your body repairs and rebalances hormones during deep sleep. Establish a consistent bedtime, dim the lights an hour before, and avoid screens to encourage melatonin production. Using blue-light-blocking glasses can help big time also.
Nourish Your Adrenal Glands
Caffeine and sugar can overstimulate your adrenals, making burnout worse. Instead, opt for adrenal-supporting foods like:
Leafy greens for magnesium.
B vitamins from eggs, beef and chicken.
Vitamin C from bell peppers, oranges, and broccoli.
Use targeted adrenal supports with your nutritionist
Balance Blood Sugar
Fluctuating blood sugar levels can exhaust your adrenals. Focus on balanced meals with protein, fibre, and healthy fats. For example, pair chicken with a variety roasted vegetables and avocado for a blood sugar-balancing meal that stabilizes energy.
Step 2: Support Your Gut
If your gut has taken a hit after the holidays, you’re not alone. Overindulgence in sugar, alcohol, and processed foods can disrupt the gut microbiome, leading to bloating, digestive discomfort, and low energy.
Reintroduce Fibre-Rich Foods
Fibre feeds beneficial gut bacteria and aids in detoxification. Incorporate foods like chia seeds, flaxseeds, berries, and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, etc.).
Hydrate Effectively
Drinking plenty of spring water with added electrolytes like bodybio (code: sarasiedleski) helps gently detoxify and support hydration. Alternatively, use a high quality salt like Redmond Real Salt for some added minerals.
Bump Up Your Fermented Foods
Replenish your gut microbiome with probiotics or fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi or kefir. These foods can help increase good bacteria and improve digestion.
Embrace Gentle Detox Practices
Focus on natural detoxifiers:
Warm lemon water in the morning.
Dandelion root or milk thistle tea to gently support liver and digestion.
Sulfur-rich foods like garlic, onions, broccoli and eggs for liver health.
Dry brushing or rebounding
Step 3: Boost Your Energy
Fatigue tends to be a major issue after the holidays. Begin rebuilding your energy by focusing on sustainable strategies rather than relying on quick fixes like caffeine or sugar.
Eat Energy-Boosting Nutrients
Iron (red meat, liver, lentils) for oxygen transport.
Magnesium (almonds, dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds) to combat fatigue.
Omega-3s (salmon, walnuts, flaxseeds) to reduce inflammation and support brain function.
Incorporate Movement
Gentle movement like yoga, walking, stretching and rebounding can improve circulation, support detoxification, lymphatic flow and elevate your mood without depleting your energy reserves.
Support Your Mitochondria
Mitochondria are the powerhouses of your cells and you can begin to support them with:
Colourful fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants.
CoQ10-rich foods like sardines and wild salmon.
Been Feeling Off For A While? Get The Personalized Support You Need
Post-holiday burnout is your body’s way of signalling that it needs a reset. But oftentimes, our clients have been struggling for months or even YEARS before they finally come to see us to help support their gut health, hormones and energy levels. If this is you, don’t wait for things to worsen, book your initial appointment with us today and let’s make 2025 the best year yet!! We offer a variety of Functional Medicine Testing, supplements, therapies and nutritional strategies to suit your individual needs and goals.
Asher Kleiber
Registered Holistic Nutritionist
