How to Protect Against Illness During Holiday Party Season

No matter how you enjoy the holiday season — whether it’s time with family, visits with friends, time at home, or on the road — it’s a time of year to which many look forward. While it’s festive, the social interaction contributes to the start of cold and flu season. 

Viral respiratory infections thrive on close human contact, one of the mainstays of the holiday season. As upper respiratory infection specialists, our team at Refresh Wellness wants to help you enjoy the season without the seasonal maladies. 

You can protect yourself against illness during the holiday party season. It takes some planning and self-discipline. With a little attention to detail, you’ll ring in the New Year in fine form. 

How the cold and flu season works

As we move inside with the cooler weather, we’re simply around people more often. This makes it easier for viruses to move from person to person. These can travel through the air or they can transfer from surfaces that you touch. 

The pace of the holidays can make you vulnerable to infection too. As you add obligations to your already busy schedule, bedtimes may get pushed back and stress levels can rise. Each of these factors suppress immune system activity. 

Addressing wellness through the holiday party season

It’s virtually impossible to avoid the viruses that can make you sick. But you can minimize the impact of the viruses you do encounter by addressing a few wellness strategies. 

Vaccinate

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone older than 6 months receives an annual flu shot. Flu viruses mutate regularly, so the vaccine formulation changes too. 

The vaccine can prevent infection and, if you do get sick, it can reduce the severity of the disease. 

Frequent hand-washing

Touching a surface that’s coated with viruses and then making contact with your eyes, mouth, or nose is a common route into your body for seasonal illnesses. 

Washing your hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds or longer dilutes and dissolves the virus proteins. Any surface that others have touched is potentially a hotbed for viral infection. 

Self care

Rest, nutrition, hydration, and exercise are the four corners of the wellness box, and they’ll 

serve you well against holiday season infections. Here’s what you can do:

Protect your sleep

You can’t hit every event, so choose wisely to assure consistent bedtimes — most of the time, at least.

Eat wisely

It’s the season of excess, so meet it with moderation and an eye for balanced nutrition, with only the occasional indulgence.

Drink plenty of water

Your body works best when well-hydrated, from digestion to easing overindulgence.

Keep active

It will keep your energy high as well as burning off some of those holiday treats.

Taking care of yourself helps keep your immune system activity high, which means viruses are less likely to take hold of your body. 

With a six-week season to navigate, there’s no single event worth putting you on the sidelines for the duration. When respiratory infections hit with a vengeance, book an appointment with Refresh Wellness to stay comfortable and safe in the face of potentially serious illness. 

Call us directly at our Garland, Texas, office or use the online booking link when you need that extra care.