In a timely intervention during the festive season, wellness editor Emilie Lavinia has championed the vital importance of guilt-free rest over the Christmas and New Year period. Her latest Well Enough newsletter, published on Monday 29 December 2025, pushes back against the pervasive culture of self-optimisation, urging people to listen to their natural rhythms instead.
The Pressure to Optimise vs. The Need to Hibernate
Lavinia notes that while well-meaning health advice on limiting alcohol and staying active has its place, the end of December should be a time to park strict rules. She argues this period is for feasting and resting according to our natural infradian rhythms, not for uncomfortable self-denial or life optimisation.
She reveals being inundated with pitches on how to 'fibremaxx' Christmas dinner or exercise during the holidays, much of which she found unhelpful. Lavinia identifies a significant problem within the wellness industry: its propensity to leverage shame. This shame-driven approach, she contends, fuels an obsession with how 'broken' we are to sell solutions, rather than effectively inspiring people to improve the UK's rising rates of poor physical and mental health.
The Dark Side of Perfect Health
The article critiques a purity-obsessed strand of wellness that disrespects rest, lie-ins, or overeating. It is a mindset intolerant of excuses, chronic illness, or anything hindering peak performance, often labelling those who prioritise rest as lazy. Lavinia, who values genuine wellbeing practices, warns this attitude can make the festive season harder, as we're taught to feel guilty for our natural desire to hibernate.
She offers a powerful counter-narrative for the limbo days between Christmas and New Year. This is specifically a time to recharge and release guilt, especially for those disciplined all year. Rest is framed not as idleness, but as a beneficial reset for the nervous system, leading to refreshed energy.
Reframing Festive Indulgence
Lavinia reframes typical festive activities as health-positive. Spending time with loved ones can lengthen lifespan, festive food provides energy, and dancing boosts serotonin, improves heart rate variability, and may even decrease biological age. The core message is clear: This is not the time for optimisation or self-loathing over Christmas cake.
The conclusion is an emphatic plea to trust one's body and intuition, striving for a manageable balance where self-care and indulgence coexist. Readers are encouraged to enjoy this unique time of year mindfully, without shame.
The article also promotes the Well Enough podcast, where Lavinia discusses similar topics with experts to dispel wellness myths, and directs readers to The Independent's newsletter platform to sign up for her weekly insights.
