December, is the twelfth and last month of the year, at least in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The name comes from the Latin word for ten, decem, because it was originally the tenth month of the year in the early Roman calendar.
December Holidays
Today in much of the world December is synonymous with holidays, including
- Hanukkah, December 8
- Christmas, December 25
- Boxing Day, December 26
- Kwanza, December 26
But other dates are important for less festive reasons.
December 7, 1941
The United States remembers December 7 as Pearl Harbor Day. On this day in 1941, Japanese planes dropped bombs on American ships in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, prompting the United States to declare war and enter World War II with the other Allied nations. The war did not end for another four years.
Now this date has another meaning. It is the open enrollment deadline for Medicare, one of the U.S. government’s healthcare plans.
Medicare Enrollment
Medicare is health insurance for people 65 or older. You may be eligible to get Medicare earlier if you have a disability, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), or ALS ( Lou Gehrig’s disease).
Some people get Medicare automatically, others have to actively sign up — it depends if you start getting retirement or disability benefits from Social Security before you turn 65.
Medicare health plans provide
Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance) benefits to people with Medicare. These plans are generally offered by private companies that contract with Medicare. They include Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C), Medicare Cost Plans, and Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE).
Even if you are already on Medicare, you need to check your coverage to make sure it is still right for you. If not, you will need to change by December 7.
Download the Medicare Handbook here.
December 21-first day of Winter
Where I live, in the northern hemisphere, winter begins on December 21, the winter solstice. We call it the “shortest” day of the year because it has the least hours of daylight of any day of the year. After that date, the amount of daily sunlight gradually increases until June, when we welcome the summer solstice, which is the “longest” day of the year.
I visited Paraguay and New Zealand this year, both of which are in the southern hemisphere. Their seasons and solstices are opposite of the above.
Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. These natural processes respond primarily to light and dark and affect most living things, including animals, plants, and microbes. So in the winter, when we have less light exposure, our rhythms can be altered, leading to sleep disturbance, fatigue and sleepiness, and mood changes.
In seasonal affective disorder, people feel down and depressed in the winter months. Researchers believe this is due to changes in circadian rhythms as a result of seasonal changes in the length of daylight. People with seasonal affective disorder feel better using artificial morning light to realign their circadian rhythm with their sleep-wake cycle.
Here are some tips from WebMD to minimize discomfort from the short winter days.
Try your best to get a minimum of 1 hour outdoors each day. That includes at least 15 to 30 minutes in the morning after daybreak. Another good time for a walk outside is around 1 to 3 p.m. in the afternoon when the body produces another brief spike of melatonin.
Face a window. If you spend most of your time indoors during the day, situate yourself so you face the window and open the shades whenever possible.
If your daytime room has no window, or just a small one, add more light-a table lamp on each side of your computer (1,500 lumens each) with a light-colored shade that diffuses the light. A plain white lightbulb will do, but for greater effect, go for blue light or put the light closer to your eye.
Get an extra boost. If you drive to work in the dark, travel across time zones often, or have trouble getting natural morning light, using a “dawn simulator” or “light therapy” lamp in the morning can also help. (affiliate link)
Set a curfew for screens. To minimize light at night, shut off your electronics (or at least dim the display and set it so the words are white on black) 2 hours before bedtime. Also use warm, low-level, dim lighting in your bedroom and living room at night.
December 31-New Year’s Eve
Is New Year’s Eve its own holiday, or just the “eve” of a holiday? Unlike Christmas Eve, it is in a different month and a different year of its holiday. Or you could say it’s 364 days after its holiday, in the same year.
New Zealand is one of the first places on Earth to enter a new year. The island nation sits just west of the International Date Line, the boundary where one day becomes the next.
In this map, the International Dateline is the black line along the far right margin. It runs through the Pacific Ocean. Down in the far right corner, in yellow, are the islands that comprise New Zealand.
So by the time 2024 arrives in Oklahoma, much of the rest of the world has already been celebrating for several hours. When does 2024 arrive where you live?
Decisions-New Year’s Resolutions
I don’t make “resolutions” for the new year, but it is a good point to take stock of life, set goals, and make plans to achieve them. It can be a fresh start, a time to leave behind the setbacks and disappointments of the past.
One area everyone should evaluate is their health, which is key to everything else in life. If your resolutions or plans involve health, this past post should give you ideas to pursue.
7 Essential Health Habits for a Satisfying Life
Prioritizing essential health habits like quality sleep, nutritious eating, meaningful connections, giving, physical and mental activity, and authentic conversation promotes well-being. Implementing these strategies fosters a fulfilling and healthier lifestyle.
Keep readingExploring the HEART of health
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