Preparing for the Silly Season

December in Australia hits you with that unmistakable summer feeling. Long hot days, the smell of sunscreen, sand in the car, backyard cricket, kids running wild and endless trips to the esky. There are beach mornings that roll into long lunches, family dinners that stretch into the night and grazing boards that somehow keep refilling themselves. It is sunny, chaotic and full of heart, and your usual routine pretty much disappears on day one.

And while it is all part of the magic of the silly season, your body definitely feels the shift. More heat, more food, more drinks and a whole lot more running around can leave you tired, puffy or a little off balance by the time New Year hits. 

You do not need to be perfect through December, but a few smart supplement choices can help you feel good while still enjoying everything that makes this time of year special.

There is something about an Australian summer Christmas that pulls you in every direction in the best way. You start the morning getting the house ready, moving platters in and out of the fridge, setting up shade outside, and trying to remember where the sunscreen went. The day rolls on with kids running between sprinklers, cousins kicking a footy around, someone starting a backyard cricket match, and relatives arriving with coolers full of food. You might squeeze in a trip to the beach, a swim in the pool or a last minute dash to the shops because someone forgot ice. It is lively, warm and full of those little moments that make this time of year feel special.

All of that feels warm and wholesome on the surface, but it is also hours of heat, stop start movement and usually not quite enough water.

By midday your body has often:

• Lost more fluid and minerals through sweat than you realise

• Had a few drinks or salty snacks that make dehydration worse

• Started to feel that heavy, foggy Christmas slump that is not just about the food

Research in hot conditions shows that replacing the fluid, electrolytes and minerals like magnesium you lose in sweat helps your focus and decision making hold up. On a long Christmas Day in the sun, that can be the difference between feeling completely wiped and feeling a bit more like yourself (Donnan et al., 2023). 

The drinking starts long before Christmas Day even arrives. There are end of year work parties, catch ups with friends you have not seen in months, family dinners that stretch late into the night and neighbours dropping by with a bottle “just because it is Christmas”. On Christmas Eve, someone opens the bubbles early. On Christmas Day, there is always a round of cocktails, a few cold beers in the esky and that one relative who insists everyone tries their new festive punch. By Boxing Day, the celebrations blend into cricket on TV, leftovers on the table and another drink without thinking twice. It is social, joyful and completely part of the season.

All of that feels light and fun on the surface, but it can add up quickly for your body.

By the time Boxing Day rolls around, your body has often:

• Processed a steady run of drinks through your liver, creating by products that your antioxidant systems need to clear
  
  

• Dealt with alcohol’s diuretic effect, so you lose more fluid and electrolytes than you notice, especially in the summer heat
  
  

• Been left with that dry mouth, fuzzy head and low motivation feeling, even if you would not call it a full hangover
  
  

Research on alcohol and liver health shows that repeated drinking episodes increase oxidative stress in the liver and promote extra fluid and electrolyte loss. For long stretches of festive drinks, it is why some people look to nutrients like NAC, liver support formulas such as Code Red and simple electrolytes as gentle supports alongside the basics of food, water and rest (Varghese & Dakhode, 2022). 

Food is one of the best parts of an Australian Christmas. The table is always full, the fridge is overflowing and there is a steady rotation of people offering you something to taste. You go from picking at grazing boards to nibbling on prawns, sampling someone’s homemade dessert, grabbing a handful of cherries, then sitting down for a proper meal hours later. Some days you are eating in the backyard, some days you are sharing plates between houses and sometimes lunch turns into dinner without anyone really noticing. It is fun, social and such a big part of what makes this time of year feel special.

But with all the mixing, matching and constant snacking, your gut can feel a little off simply because you are eating differently, not because you are doing anything wrong. 

By the time the Christmas leftovers come out again, your gut has often:

• Dealt with more rich, salty and sugary foods than usual, which can slow digestion and make meals sit a little heavier
  
  

• Had long stretches of grazing instead of regular meals, which can confuse normal appetite and digestion signals
  
  

• Coped with less fibre and sometimes more alcohol than usual, which can change gut bacteria balance and leave you feeling puffy or uncomfortable

It is not about eating less or being stricter. It is about giving your gut a bit of support so you can enjoy every plate, dessert and shared moment without as much discomfort. Research on gut health shows that short term changes in what and how you eat can affect digestion and the gut microbiome, which is why gentle supports like GutRight modbiotics, greens powders or a mini gut reset protocol make sense alongside the basics of food, water and rest at this time of year (Rondinella et al., 2025). 

At its core, the silly season is about connection, food, sunshine and the moments that make the year feel full. You do not need to overhaul anything to feel good through December. Sometimes it is just a matter of choosing small supports that help your body keep pace with the fun. If you want to explore more options or learn what works best for your lifestyle, you can find longer reads in our education hub, including The Best Electrolyte Powders in 2025, The Gut Microbiome and Supplements That Make Sense After 40.