There is a misconception that you need a lot of time to exercise to be effective, and a common excuse for not exercising is having no time. With the holiday season is in full swing and the New Year is just around the corner, thoughts drift to parties, food, and family on top of a […]

Yeah, we know ’tis the season to be jolly, but let’s be real—the holiday season can obliterate your workout schedule, load you up with tons of stress and insomnia, and severely throw off your training and nutrition regimes. But it doesn’t have to be that way (again) this year.

Before you start stress-eating candy canes, take a breath and look at these practical, easy-to-implement tips we’ve gathered in collaboration with Charlotte’s Web. As a high-quality manufacturer of cannabidiol (CBD) products, they offer solutions to help beat the winter blues by managing stress, soothing aches, and promoting restful sleep. Their 90-count CBD Gummy Mix Pack ($170.97) features a trio of options to cover all bases:

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1. DITCH THE HUMBUGS

Hanging with humbugs is as fun as finding coal in your stocking. (Thanks, Santa!)

Choose your holiday company like you pick your fantasy football team—only the best make the starting team.

Plus, if you need scientific permission, here ya go: a Journal of Urban Health study found that good friends and people who support you can serve as a stress sponge. Another set of researchers published a report in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity that the right folks — i.e., people who don’t make you want to drown yourself in eggnog — can also boost your immune system.

2. GET TO BED!

It’s simple: sleep translates to more sanity. Missing z’s can leave you crankier than a reindeer on a coffee crash. Shoot for that precious 7-8 hours of shut-eye to keep your holiday cheer cranked up to elf-level. The National Sleep Foundation suggests a solid seven hours. Don’t skimp, or you’ll be out-caroling the ghosts of Christmas past.

3. SWEAT IT OUT LIKE SANTA IN A SAUNA

Feeling more fried than a turkey? Take a workout detour. Thirty minutes shaking what your mama gave you can be a bigger mood booster than Grandma’s secret eggnog recipe. The workout wizards at the CDC give a hearty ho-ho-ho for at least 150 weekly minutes of cardio to kick depression to the curb.

Need some help finding a workout? We have plenty of options for you right here.

4. FEAST LIKE A FITNESS KING

Eat foods that make your body happier than a kid with a snow day. Whole, unprocessed eats can boost your mood quicker than you can say “kale chips!”

Stay clear of sugar traps—they’re sneakier than mistletoe. The gurus at Nutrition Reviews even say a rockstar diet makes you smarter. Who’s up for brain gains?

5. HO-HO-HOLD ONTO YOUR WALLET

Blowing through your budget on gifts, travel, or unnecessary coping gifts — did you really need the pro version of that overpriced VR headset? — can send stress sky-high. Keep your wallet chubby with a holiday budget tighter than Santa’s suit.

The APA’s all over this strategy to shield you from the ghost of holiday debts. And take it from the wise elves at the Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning—money troubles can turn those silent nights into not-so-silent fights.

6. KEEP A TIGHT REIGN ON YOUR CALENDAR

Stuff your calendar too much and you’ll be popping like corn on the open fire. Drop a polite “no thanks” like dropping bad habits and watch your stress levels drop—it’s science! There’s even a study that shows saying “bah humbug” to too much commitment can save your sanity.

 These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.