- Marketplace open enrollment
- Starts November 1; enroll by December 15 for January 1 coverage (HealthCare.gov)
- Medicare open enrollment
- October 15 to December 7
- 2026 health FSA
- $3,400 contribution limit; $680 maximum carryover if your plan allows it
- Average holiday weight gain
- About 1 pound, but it tends to stay
Why November beats January
Many people make health plans on January 1, after a month of disrupted sleep, rich food and more alcohol. Labs drawn then reflect the season as much as your usual baseline. Measuring in November, before the holidays, gives a cleaner reference point. If something changes over winter, you can see it.
It is also practical. Clinician schedules and lab centers are often busy in January, and some benefits deadlines fall before the new year.
What really changes between October and March
- Sunlight and vitamin D: less UVB in winter, especially at higher latitudes, means lower vitamin D made in the skin. A winter result is often your lowest of the year.
- Weight: an NIH study found the average holiday gain was about 1 pound, far less than the popular 5-pound figure, but it was not lost the following year.
- Activity: shorter days and colder weather reduce outdoor exercise.
- Alcohol and sleep: parties and travel mean more drinking and later nights, both of which affect blood pressure, sleep and next-day energy.
- Mood: shorter days can lower mood and motivation for some people.
The deadlines nobody reminds you about
Health flexible spending accounts are generally use-it-or-lose-it. The IRS allows a plan to offer either a grace period of up to two and a half months or a limited carryover, but not both, and many plans offer neither. Your plan year may not match the calendar year, so check your own dates.
Health savings accounts work differently: balances carry over from year to year and stay with you if you change jobs. Open enrollment, for employer plans, the Marketplace and Medicare, is when you choose next year's coverage and, for many people, next year's FSA election.
Three things worth doing before the year turns
HealifyMD's comprehensive lab panel is $199, one time, with tests chosen by your clinician. Whether FSA or HSA funds can be used depends on your plan and IRS rules, so check with your administrator first.
- Book a baseline: labs drawn before the holidays, compared with any past results
- Check your FSA balance and plan deadline, and ask your administrator what is eligible
- Review next year's coverage options during open enrollment, including whether an HSA-eligible plan fits you
A simple plan for the darker months
You do not need a complete overhaul to get through winter in good shape. A few decisions made ahead of time do most of the work, and they are easier to keep than resolutions made on January 1.
- Pick two or three indoor exercise options now, such as a gym class, home strength routine or stair workout, so cold or dark evenings do not end your activity
- Keep your wake-up time steady through the holidays, and get outdoor light early in the day when you can
- Decide on a drink limit for parties before you arrive, and alternate with water or zero-proof drinks
- Weigh yourself or measure your waist once a week through the season, so small changes are noticed early
- If you take medicines that need refrigeration or regular refills, plan around holiday travel and pharmacy closures
- Book any follow-up labs for early in the new year now, before calendars fill
Should treatment wait until January?
Not usually. If something needs attention, starting in November means you are not waiting through the hardest stretch of the year. If nothing needs treatment, a baseline still makes January's goals more concrete. Either way, your clinician can plan around holidays and travel.
