We’re approaching the most wonderful time of the year when the snow starts to fall, we eat great food, and we spend more time indoors with our loved ones.
But that doesn’t mean everything about the holiday season is wonderful. There are a lot of things that aren’t so great about the last couple of months of the year, and they can cause you to forget to take your medication, misplace your supplements, or accidentally take more pills that you’re supposed to.
Here’s how the holidays can mess up your med routine—and what you can do about it.
Longer To-Do Lists
The holiday season comes with a longer to-do list. There are presents to buy, turkeys to cook, and cookies to bake. The kids suddenly have to start taking snow pants and hats to school, and you have to remember to grab your scarf and gloves on the way out the door.
It’s easy to forget to take your prescriptions, and it’s even easier to let taking your supplements slide until the season is over.
If you’re a to-do list person, put taking pills on your list. You’ll get the satisfaction of crossing it off every time you take your medication.
Increased Stress
The holiday season comes with a lot of stress. Money can be tight during the holiday season, and spending time with certain family members can cause a lot of anxiety. All the pressure makes it easier to forget to take your meds.
Do yourself a favor and use Tooktake labels. They do the remembering for you so having to take your medication doesn’t add to your stress.
Holiday Travel
Taking medication is especially hard if you’re doing any kind of traveling for the holidays.
Whether by car, bus, or train, keep your medication with you in your purse or a carry-on bag. That way it’s always nearby when it’s time to take it. You won’t have to dig through a huge bag to find it, or risk losing it if your luggage goes missing.
It also means having a plan when you get to your destination. Choose a specific spot that’s out of reach to store your medication and supplement bottles—and keep them there. That way you aren’t searching for your pills every time you need to take them.
Less Time to Take Care of Yourself
We spend less time thinking about ourselves and more time thinking about others during the holiday season. That can be a good thing, but it can be a bad thing too because it means you’re more likely to spend less time taking care of yourself.
You matter during the holiday season too! And so does your health.
Slow down and say no if your to-do list is already too long. Try to maintain your regular schedule as much as possible. Pair taking medication with a little self-care, like writing in a journal or sipping on a cup of tea, so you’re encouraged to keep doing both.