Are holidays really “forced rest days”? Unless you're militant about it, probably not. For many Americans, Christmas is just a binge day. Sure we don't go to work, but we probably don't sleep in either. No added recovery there. Many of us will sit around talking, eating, and watching all day – restful to a degree but what the body really needs to recover is to eat nutritious food, move around and have meaningful social engagements.

Holiday feasts are slippery slopes and end up wreaking havoc on digestive tracts from coast to coast. Food provides an easy distraction and something to relate to while we struggle to avoid polictical talk and keep conversation friendly with people we only see on special occasions. It's hard to have just one of anything and another plateful feels safe when you're running out of polite conversation. What if instead of stuffing second slice of yule log in our mouths we momentarily escaped the social strain by taking a deep breath and conjuring up some imagery that relaxes the body and mind?

I support making the most of Christmas by actively making it a recovery day. I plan to try to eat a normal amount and get in some high quality movement while breathing in the New Year (see video for simple breathing exercise). Yes, I too am surrounded by crave-inducing cookies and my dopamine receptors are primed and ready but the treats will be back next year!