'Tis the season to overdo it, from eating to talking to whooping it up. So how do you survive the morning after? Try our sneaky little tricks.
Theres more than one way to overindulge during the holiday season. You can carol until you get a sore throat, or scarf too many cookies at the office party. You can stress over the perfect prime rib, or try to work off 5 pounds in a day so you can fit into that slinky cocktail dress that night. Sometimes you go too far, and then comes the morning after. But dont despair: Weve come up with easy cures for almost every imaginable holiday hangover. Before you know it, youll feel ready to deck the halls all over again.
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went-wild-sex-150.jpg , or DOMS, when it hurts to get out of bed. “You may actually have caused some microscopic tears to the muscle tissues and the tendon attachments,” explains Cedric Bryant, PhD, chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise. “While your body tries to repair itself, inflammation impinges on the nerves surrounding the muscles, producing pain.” DOMS usually goes away in 48 to 72 hours.
Our get-better-fast plan
Hop back on the horse. Whole-body exercise (swimming, for instance, or riding a stationary bike with movable handlebars) at a gentle intensity will restore range of motion to your muscles, Bryant says.
Stretch carefully. Target the sore areas and do some gentle stretching.
Treat yourself. Get a massage. The kneading of sore muscles can boost blood flow to the tissues, which can speed the healing process. Ask your doctor or a friend to recommend a good massage therapist.