Keep the happy in your holidays: don't let stress, overindulgence, and sleep deficits spoil your fun.

Maintaining good health takes year-round diligence. But sometimes the activities of the holiday season conspire to sabotage even our best efforts The demands of shopping, parties, and dinners can throw us into survival mode. It doesn't have to be that way. Fight back with these simple antidotes to quell your holiday humbugs.

Lack of sleep, overindulgence, and stress undermine the body's immune system, leaving it vulnerable to illness. Research shows that sleep deprivation hinders brain function, leaving you at a higher risk for accidents in the car and at home. At the very least, lack of sleep and undue stress make people irritable and crank--hardly a personality trait in keeping with the holiday spirit.

Thanksgiving and Christmas needn't be downers. With some organization and discipline, you can sail through the season with your health and sweet disposition intact.

Stress is probably the number one enemy of the holiday season. Proper stress management begins with proper time management. To prevent being ambushed by the demands of this holiday season, you need to plan ahead. "Tips to Take Control of Your Life and Ultimately Improve Your Quality of Life," posted by North Carolina State University, suggests that readers set priorities, jot them down, and stick to them. Important dates and activities should be marked on a calendar along with some open "personal" time. Dividing tasks into manageable "chunks" and creating a reward system makes it easier to accomplish goals. Liberally overestimating how long a project will take creates a comfortable buffer zone, thus reducing stress. Learning to say "No" politely will also help you keep your priorities on track.

Before the holidays even begin, you must decide which events are most important and mark your calendar accordingly. Since holidays are about family and friends, you might want to take the time to decide which people are the most important, too. It stands to reason that those coming from out of town take precedence over those living close by. Family and close friends should mean more to you than casual acquaintances, so set your schedule accordingly,

Gift buying and sending out holiday cards can be daunting tasks. Tackling them in smaller bites not only makes them more manageable, but more enjoyable. Writing out five cards each evening turns a chore into a time to relax and focus on friends and loved ones. Sipping on a cup of herbal tea between notes provides an equally relaxing reward.

CATCH YOUR Zs

Stress management and overall health demand adequate sleep and should top everyone's priority list. The journal Sleep recently published a study conducted by Hans Van Dongen at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Van Dongen and his associates found that being deprived of sleep by as little as two hours a night affects thinking processes and memory abilities in young and middle-aged adults. To make matters worse, sleep-deprived individuals lack the ability to recognize, or act on, their diminished capabilities--they don't even realize they need sleep!

The best way to ensure proper rest is to set regular bedtimes. The party animal within may want to "go with the flow," but the human body functions fare better with regular routines. Other elements that can affect both quality and quantity of sleep include light and noise levels, diet, stress, and exercise.

According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco all disrupt sleeping patterns, making it difficult to drift off or stay there. Eating too much food close to bedtime affects many people's slumber as well. The wrong kinds of foods can cause heartburn, keeping dreams at bay. Room temperatures and humidity levels can interrupt a good night's sleep, too.

The NSF says slightly cooler temperatures promote healthy Zs, and those who awaken with sore throats or dry nasal passages may want to increase the humidity in their bedrooms.

If you wake up with a sore back or headache, you might want to check the condition of your mattress. A worn-out bed causes pressure points, disrupting sleep as you toss and turn trying to get comfortable. If your mattress is more than 10 years old, it's probably time to shop for a new one.

BEDTIME ROUTINE

Everyone knows that stress can interfere with a good night's sleep. If tension is preventing you from entering dreamland, NSF recommends creating a relaxing bedtime routine. Just as reading a bedtime story to children sets the stage for their slumber, relaxing rituals help adults achieve better sleep. The right music, cozy pajamas, meditation, and prayer are all ways the NSF suggests that you prepare for bed. A hot bath is relaxing, and studies report that the drop in core body temperature that occurs after a bath may signal the body it's time to snooze.

PUMP YOU UP

Last, exercise promotes healthy sleep. But timing is important. While exercise is indeed a stress buster, it also raises the core body temperature. Since body temperature drops take place five to six hours after exercising, late afternoon is the best time to give yourself that all-important workout.

Unfortunately, it's easy for exercise routines to get sidetracked during the holiday season, especially if weather hinders normal outdoor excursions. But keep in mind that physical exertion offers a three-pronged benefit to your holiday season. It reduces stress, promotes sleep, and defrays the impact of all those rich holiday goodies! It's a good thing.

The Cleveland Clinic Heart Center lists exercise first in its 8 Steps to Surviving Holiday Weight Gain. Some tips for getting the recommended 200 minutes a week of aerobic exercise include dusting off the old stationary bike or treadmill and setting it where music or television can help break the monotony. Tapes or CDs from the library offer further entertainment while exercising. Unused gym passes can be reactivated, and a personal trainer or a new class might provide just the right inspiration for your neglected exercise regimen.

Turning everyday chores into extra physical activity offers the answer for many time-challenged individuals. Housecleaning can be "pumped up" for increased calorie burning. Even shopping can add extra walking and stair climbing if you park farther out in the parking lot and skip the elevator whenever possible.

OMNIPRESENT MUNCHIES 

During the holidays food is everywhere. Office parties, holiday tins of homemade goodies, Aunt Jane's annual fruitcake, the gratuitous plates of cookies in doctors' offices, and those free samples in specialty shops offer little escape. Not only is there more food, but it's often rich in sugar and fats. This not only attacks your immune system and opens the door for seasonal colds, it provides plenty of raw material to build that "spare tire" around your middle--the one that requires months to remove.

To control overeating, the Cleveland Clinic Heart center advises avoiding temptation areas and situations whenever possible. The center recommends that people stay away from places where snacks and goodies are offered or stored--like the break room at work or the pantry at home. Avoiding the candy and snack aisles in the grocery store helps, too. And whatever you do, don't keep munchies at your desk at work. You may find yourself becoming your own best customer.

But let's not be unrealistic. After all, it is the holidays. When temptation is unavoidable, "8 Steps" suggests that you limit yourself to one treat a day. Ideally, it should be compensated for with reduced calories someplace else in your diet or with an extra calorie-burning exercise or two.

THE GIFT OF GOOD NUTRITION

Eating five servings of fruits and vegetables each day helps fill the stomach with fiber-rich, low-calorie foods, making it easier for you to resist less nutritious choices like crackers, chips, and dip. When preparing a dish to take to a gathering, make it low-calorie and low-fat. That way you and others can have at least one healthy alternative. When choosing from other offerings at a party or meal, search for the healthiest foods available.

Indulging in a small nutritious snack right before attending a party can keep you from bingeing, says the Heart Center. Instead of standing at the buffet table munching continually, it recommends that you fill your plate and then go sit down somewhere to eat, waiting 20 or 30 minutes before returning for seconds. The clinic reminds people that the holiday season is a time to celebrate good times with family and friends. The focus should be on socializing--not eating.

Adequate sleep, proper nutrition, and a good exercise regimen help manage stress and promote health year round. But for truly happy holidays, maintaining a balanced program is paramount. People who make health a priority will find themselves relaxed, refreshed, and fully engaged in the festivities that Thanksgiving and Christmas have to offer.

Terri Gordon keeps himself healthy and happy during the holidays in St. Joseph, Missouri.