By Dr. Christopher Lepisto

a 2-minute read

As the holiday season reaches peak activity, many people notice a kind of fatigue that sleep alone doesn’t resolve. Even joyful gatherings and meaningful traditions can quietly tax the body. This time of year can ask more of us emotionally, socially, and physically than we realize, especially if we have lost loved ones. Now is not the time to be hard on yourself, as stress and rigidity around your health can themselves be detrimental.

It is also probably not the ideal moment to embark on a new journey to vitality. You are unlikely to be feeling your best and we are not yet into the new year. Instead, it’s an opportunity to ask gentler questions and begin thinking about better health. Am I more tired than usual? Is my digestion slower or more reactive? Are my joints stiffer? Do I need a reset?

These cues are not failures of willpower. They’re invitations to ease up. For many, challenges intensify during this season not because we’re doing something wrong, but because the body is responding to cumulative stress— less daylight, disrupted routines, richer foods, emotional demands, and colder weather.

Slowing down doesn’t mean stopping life. It means adjusting expectations. It might look like choosing rest over one more obligation, warmth over intensity, or nourishment over restriction. Sometimes the most supportive choice is simply to stop asking the body to perform and start asking what it needs.

Begin thinking ahead towards a New Year’s resolution. While these can be problematic, there is a time when you need to step up and recommit to what you desire. When that moment comes, I’m available for a conversation to help you shape a realistic path—one that sets you up for the best chance of renewed energy and optimism.