The stretch between the holidays and the new year is an extremely busy time of year for many people. We sleep less than we typically do, travel and attend more social gatherings than were used to. Some of us may eat foods that may not be in our regular diets, drink more alcohol and get unusually stressed out. Even if youre lucky enough to have planned a relatively low-key holiday, chances are something will throw your typical routine out of whack.

All of these changes can significantly disturb our circadian rhythms, or the biological processes that keep our bodies functioning each and every day. This can increase the risk of getting sick with a respiratory infection like COVID and influenza, and at the very least, just make you feel mentally off, research shows.

Thanks to all the hoopla, its more common than not to enter the new year feeling downright exhausted . So, we asked four doctors to share what they do to cope with the holiday whirlwind. Heres the one habit they absolutely refuse to do for the sake of their well-being:

Overcommit to social activities.

Dr. Benedict Ifedi , a primary care physician with Memorial Hermann Medical Group, tries not to overdo it with social activities around the holidays. A recent poll found that Americans plan to attend, on average, five holiday get-togethers this year and the vast majority of people expect to be busier than they were in years past.

Ifedi is trying to learn from his past mistakes. Hes made the mistake of attending one too many holiday get-togethers and returned to work feeling more run down than when he left.

This makes me ineffective in clinic and I am not able to be the best physician I can be for my patients, Ifedi said.

Now, he works on being comfortable saying no. When the invites come in, he reminds himself of the motto: Sometimes doing nothing is doing something.

He tries to strike the balance of getting rest in addition to spending time with friends and family. Doing so helps him recharge and be effective at work, without getting burnt out. One way Ifedi has been able to accomplish this is by prioritizing high-yield social activities, or gatherings that will fuel and energize him as opposed to get-togethers that may feel toxic and draining.

Think quality and not quantity, he said.

Skip physical activity entirely.

Dr. Eric K. Holder , a Yale Medicine physiatrist, makes sure he does some type of movement over the holidays. Sitting for hours on end, which tends to happen this time of year, can cause blood to pool in your body (increasing the risk of blood clots), trigger low back and spine pain, and impair blood sugar control, according to Yale Medicine .

To combat these health risks, regular physical activity is a must, Holder said. The benefits are endless. Being physically active protects heart and lung function, boosts our mood and improves the quality of our sleep.

Dont beat yourself up if you dont workout as much as you normally do, though. Its likely not going to impact your overall fitness , and, in fact, it can even be beneficial to rest and go easy on yourself this time of year. But try to pencil in some movement during the holidays, whether thats going on quick 10-minute walks , practicing yoga in your hotel room or even dancing to holiday music as you get ready for your family gatherings.

If you dont already exercise regularly, its worth starting now just ramp up gradually in order to avoid injury, Holder said. Even short bursts of activity achieved through everyday tasks, like taking the stairs or doing laundry can provide major health benefits, recent research has shown.

Moving your body is crucial for your overall well-being, Holder said.