The holidays can be a time of incredible joy. We get to see family members we haven’t seen since the last major holiday.

Colorful decorations line streets and stores. The sudden appearance of toys in every store brings kids pointing excitedly, insisting it’s something they need.

It’s romantic holding your significant other’s gloved hand while it’s snowing. There’s ice skating, turkey, laughing at the dinner table, the unbidden smiles that instantly appear.

For many, everything seems brighter and shinier.

But there’s also the other, heavier side of the coin.

The sun has all but disappeared. There are some family members you’d rather not see. The sugar and over-abundance of food are going straight to your hips, thighs, and belly. And the snow doesn’t look anything like it does on a card.

It’s understandable if your health suffers with the emotional and physical strain of the holidays. The good news is there are a few simple ways you can thrive even in the worst conditions.

Problem: You’re tired or can’t get to sleep
Solution: Fix your circadian rhythm

If you’re in the northern hemisphere, the sun is probably non-existent when you leave for work and setting by the time you leave for work.

Plus, you’ve just set your clocks back an hour.

This means your internal body clock, your circadian rhythm, is off. It’s confused about when you need to go to sleep and wake up – leaving you either too tired to make it through the day without caffeine or too awake at night to sleep.

In order to overcome this, you need to set a strict sleep schedule. It means setting a bedtime, winding down an hour before then, and putting away your phone. You won’t see changes overnight, but within a week, you’ll find you have more success getting to sleep.

Now, that's not the easiest. You almost need to create a ritual to ensure it works.

To make it almost fool-proof, you can take Sleep, one of our Feel Good Infoceuticals 3-4 times a day. Take the last dose right before bedtime. Sleep will help set your internal clock so you're ready to get some much-needed shut eye without having to set an alarm clock.

Problem: You don’t feel yourself
Solution: Get some “sunshine”

One of the reasons SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) becomes a problem in the winter because you seemingly never see the sun.

Study after study has shown the impact of vitamin D (a hormone produced when your skin is exposed to UVB rays) on your mood -- whether you have a more difficult time finding happiness or you just feel out of sorts.

Vitamin D supplements are some of the cheapest on the market. There are also tanning beds and sun lamps that can help you get UVB exposure.

Even then, your body's ability to synthesize vitamin D may not be optimal. It's one of many reasons we recommend Day.

When you take Day shortly after you wake up, you might also find yourself feeling more optimistic and energetic throughout the entire day.

Problem: You feel anxious
Solution: Find peace

The holidays bring their own set of challenges. Money becomes a big focal point. You might find yourself wondering where all your grandkids and cousins came from. Will there be enough food? Is it edible? Is the turkey so dry it can be used like a paper towel?

And there's still your job, driving conditions, your family, and dozens of other daily stressors you might find yourself dwelling on a little bit too much.

Not only is this impacting your mental health, but this type of emotional stress ultimately has an impact on your immune system. And it comes at a time when you need it most.

Some of this can likely be attributed to having lower levels of vitamin D.

But some of it is the unique stress brought about by the holidays. It's all too easy letting this anxiety get to you and pass it along.

What you need is a little Peace. A breath of fresh air. A way to take a deep breath in and exhale your doubt and stress.

The Infoceutical, Peace, can help promote a calm mental state, mental clarity, and honesty with yourself. Plus, it can enhance the head-heart connection to resolve conflicts between emotions and logical thought.

Problem: People are hard to deal with
Solution: Get/give some love

There are a fair share of Scrooges that bring everyone down with them. Those capable of not getting sucked into their black holes of anger, depression, and negativity deserve a big pat on the back.

In the wild, Scrooges are easier to avoid. It becomes much more difficult if you work with a Scrooge or there's one in your family.

Those aren't even the most difficult people to deal with. Oftentimes, they're the ones you share blood with. They're the ones that you only see during the holidays. You might find yourself getting more drinks than you intended to (whether to self-medicate or extract yourself from the situation), hiding in a different room, or biting your tongue.

An endless outpouring of love can sometimes overcome these people. Or three ghosts. But you can't rely on ghosts and they only seem to do their job on Christmas Eve, anyway.

What you need is some Peace and Love -- two things that the holidays are supposed to be filled with. Meditating can bring about this kind of patience and love, but our Infoceutical, Love, can be of assistance. Love can support a feeling of unity and unconditional love for yourself and others. 

Now, this doesn't mean you'll have bulletproof love for your brother, but it can help put you in a much better place.

Help yourself this holiday season

It's hard to get by when you're feeling stressed. The holidays add a whole other layer on top of everything that can make them feel impossible to get through.

This ultimately affects your weight, happiness, energy levels, and even your immune system.

That's why you need to take control of your health right now -- before the holidays get into full swing. We've put together a pack of Infoceuticals to get you through the holidays feeling happy, relaxed, and full of energy.

Find a practitioner near you to get this limited-time pack of Feel Good Infoceuticals.