The holiday season, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s, etc., is a time for gathering and sharing with family and friends. But often, it’s not just Aunt Charlotte’s pecan pie that’s being shared. The holidays are also prime season for respiratory viruses, sinus infections, seasonal flu, and of course, COVID-19. Even further, with family and fun also comes potential for joint pain or injury. The good news is that there’s a lot you can do to reduce your chances of bringing on new aches and pains or of picking up something more than just your fork (sniff, sniff)!

Here are a few of Dr. Hall and Chattanooga Non-Surgical Orthopedics’ health-conscious tips for getting ready for the holidays!

It may sound simple, but plan your gatherings with health in mind. You can limit the spread of viruses by opting for paper versus cloth towels in bathrooms and kitchen areas. It’s also a good idea to position bottles of hand sanitizer and boxes of tissues throughout the house. Make sure each cleanup area has plenty of hand soap.

Cleaning and disinfecting frequently-touched items throughout the day such as door knobs, sink faucets, refrigerator doors and, well, pretty much anything in the bathroom will go a long way to keeping common viruses at bay.

Body-wise, to ward off potential added aches and pains, make a point to exercise. Movement primes your body to cope with anxiety and loosens joints getting blood flowing to your extremities. Muscle and ligament  motion is also beneficial to preventing injury, should you fall or twist something the wrong way. Of course, if that happens, Chattanooga Non-Surgical Orthopedics has open hours around the holidays, so check our social media and website for updates.

While most holidays are surrounded with food, try to avoid overindulgence. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated and go easy on sugar and carbohydrates. Try eating your veggies first so you don’t fill up on less nutritious foods.

Don’t neglect sleep. Part of holiday fun is watching movies and playing games, but try to get to bed at a reasonable time, shooting for seven to nine hours of sleep so your body is rested and recharged for the next day.

We hope you have a great holiday season full of love, laughter and fun! We also hope these healthy tips will go a long way to keeping you healthy in the coming months.

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