Healthy Living After Christmas in Hitchin | Dr Sophie Featherby
By Dr Sophie Featherby MBChB in Hitchin
When Christmas ends many of us feel overwhelmed about getting back on track. It is cold and dark, our energy can be low and motivation lacking. At Mayfield Clinic in Hitchin I use lifestyle medicine as a sustainable approach, which focuses towards choices that support both physical and mental wellbeing over time, and keeps prescriptions and medication to a minimum.
Ask yourself what feels doable right now?
There is no single right place to begin. In my consultations I often use Dr Rangan Chatterjee’s lifestyle pillars to identify which area feels most out of balance and start there.
Relaxation is often underestimated. Many people tell me they’re eating very little, going to the gym every day and yet still gaining weight. Chronic stress is frequently a key factor. Stress affects hormones, sleep, appetite and energy, and relaxation is often the first thing sacrificed in busy lives. It doesn’t need to be time-consuming. Slow breathing, a short walk or sitting with a trusted person and a hot drink, can make a meaningful difference when practised regularly.
Nutrition is an area full of conflicting advice which can feel overwhelming. As with all lifestyle changes, the key is to start small. In our house this looks like Low Sugar January. It is realistic rather than extreme. The wine is out the window and the leftover chocolates have been hidden away (mostly!).
Movement can feel particularly challenging in winter with cold weather and short days. Again, simplicity helps. A 20-minute walk during your lunch break is a great place to start. The aim is regular movement that fits into your life, not intense or painful exercise.
Sleep is often the pillar I prioritise first, especially since having children. When sleep is poor it becomes very hard to eat well or move regularly, and your brain cannot relax. Addressing sleep even with small changes can make everything else feel more achievable. Consistency, simple routines, reduced evening screen time and morning daylight exposure can all support better rest. Even modest improvements in sleep can have a big impact.
Healthy living after Christmas does not require a complete overhaul. Focus on one small change, practise it consistently and allow it to become part of your routine before adding another. Lifestyle medicine reminds us that health is not just for January - but it is a good time to start!
For people with a chronic health condition including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity we can see drastic improvements and often reversibility of these conditions by applying some of the above principles. We can reduce, stop or avoid medication.
Book an appointment at Mayfield Clinic in Hitchin to kick start your health in 2026.
Lifestyle medicine recognises that health is shaped by everyday behaviours such as how we eat, move, sleep, relax and connect with others. It focuses on small consistent changes rather than drastic plans.
Those with chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure high cholesterol diabetes and obesity can see drastic improvements and often reversibility by applying these lifestyle principles.
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256 Banbury Road
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