This article is more than 3 months old

Coping at Christmas: A CF psychologist shares her top tips for navigating the festive season

Blog - 25/11/2025

The festive season is often portrayed as a time of joy, celebration, and connection, but for people living with cystic fibrosis (CF), it can also bring greater worries. In a season filled with social events, disruptions to usual routines and winter bugs, it can be a challenge to manage physical and emotional wellbeing while trying to keep up with the festive cheer. Here, CF psychologist Dr Anna Shipton has some tips to help you navigate the Christmas period.

In the Bleak Mid-Winter

Viruses that cause colds, flu and other respiratory illnesses peak in the winter and this can be a particular challenge for people living with CF.

Think about what you need in social situations to feel comfortable and to stay well. Consider suggesting quieter places or times to meet others, or catch up in smaller groups or outside. Think about the safest way to get there and how to avoid public transport at peak times.

Ask people you’re meeting to let you know in advance if they’re not feeling well so that you can make an informed decision about whether to go ahead. Sometimes, rehearsing what you want to say – something like, “I’d love to join for a bit, but I need to be careful with my health,” can go a long way in helping with awkward conversations.

It might be helpful to share Cystic Fibrosis Trust’s cold weather guidance with friends and family. You might also want to share our FAQs to help explain CF to loved ones.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

As well as carrying a lower infection risk than being indoors, getting out into nature is an amazing way to improve your wellbeing. Walking outside provides lots of physical and mental health benefits, including boosting your immune system, reducing stress levels, lifting mood, improving cardiovascular health and helping with sleep. 

Have a look for any special events like Christmas markets or festive trails that are happening locally to inspire you to wrap up warm and get outside.

Silent Night

You might feel the pressure of lots of social gatherings, and this can be exhausting at times – particularly if you are feeling unwell or low in energy. Give yourself permission to rest, opt out, and prioritise your health above expectations of what Christmas “should” look like. Holding onto your daily routines around sleeping and eating, and actively planning and protecting down time, are simple but key ways to help keep yourself well.

Rocking around the Christmas tree

Your regular exercise routines may be disrupted with other demands on your time and your usual gym classes not running, but rather than giving up exercise altogether, think creatively about how you can incorporate it into your day. Whether that’s a literal dance around the Christmas tree to festive tunes, a walk with a friend, or a quick online workout, anything you can do to keep active will have lots of benefits for your health.

Deck the Halls

If you’re not able to do all the activities you want to because of illness or energy levels, think about what you need in your home (or even hospital) environment to make the space feel comfortable, calm and cosy. Think beyond the tinsel and fairy lights and consider your senses – what do you like to see, feel, hear, touch and smell around you? Creating the right environment is about more than what it looks like; it can enhance wellbeing, reduce stress and provide a peaceful place to rest and recharge.

If you’re travelling or away from your usual home environment, remember to get organised well in advance with any medications you might need to take with you to avoid last minute panic.

Joy to the world

Prioritise self-care over the need to people please and set clear boundaries around what you feel able to say yes and no to. Looking after yourself can be a powerful antidote to the season’s pressures; recognise that it’s okay not to feel okay and allow yourself to feel your genuine emotions without judgment. Remember that your worth isn’t defined by your ability to fit in with festive expectations, and that the picture-perfect Christmas of social media is often a myth anyway.

Focus on what matters most to you and your loved ones; joy is often found in the unexpected places.

Remember, your CF team will still be there for you, even over Christmas, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any concerns about your health or need advice or support.