5 Ways to Support Your Nervous System This Holiday Season: Rethinking the Holiday Hustle
Every year, the holidays seem to sneak up faster and faster. Along with the holiday season comes the noise, the pressure, and the unspoken checklist of what “joy” is supposed to look like. The perfect meal. The perfect gifts. The perfect memories. But beneath all that glitter and expectation, many of us are quietly running on fumes. We feel the tension in our shoulders, the shallowness of our breath, the exhaustion behind the smile. We push through because that’s what the season demands of us…right? Well, maybe not.
As you are reading through this blog, I would like you to ask yourself : What if this year could look different? Less presents, more presence. Less about stuff, more about meaning. I’m going to show you how that shift, from performance to presence, all starts with a more regulated nervous system. Let’s dive in!
The Nervous System: Your Body’s Command Center for Calm
Your nervous system is the intricate communication network that links your brain to every part of your body. It keeps you alive, alert, and adaptable. It’s made up of two primary branches: The sympathetic system (fight, flight, or freeze), which helps you act under pressure, and the parasympathetic system (rest, digest, and repair), which helps you recover, heal, and connect. Both are essential. But modern life, especially in December, tends to keep us in survival mode, as we rush from one “urgent” task to the next. So how can you support your nervous system in such a stress-inducing season? Meet the vagus nerve. Your body’s natural antidote to chaos.
The Vagus Nerve: Your Calm Switch
The vagus nerve is your body’s internal peacekeeper. It runs from your brainstem through your heart, lungs, and gut - influencing everything from heart rate and digestion to mood and immunity. When activated, it signals safety. It tells your mind and body, “You can relax. You’re okay. You’re safe.” A well-regulated vagus nerve helps you stay calm, focused, and resilient even when the world feels like it’s spinning faster than your FedEx notifications.
Contrary to common belief, a dysregulated vagus nerve and nervous system don’t always show up as anxiety or panic attacks. Often, a dysregulated nervous system looks like what we commonly think of as “normal December symptoms”. Go through this checklist to see if you might be experiencing a dysregulated nervous system.
Always busy, but never accomplished.
Wired but tired/unable to truly rest.
Digestive issues or tension headaches.
Mood swings, anxiety, or burnout.
Forgetfulness and overwhelm.
These are signs your body’s stress response is on autopilot. Not because you’re weak, but because you’re human. Here’s the good news. You can teach your body how to stay regulated in the chaos. And this is possibly the best gift you can give yourself this holiday season. So here are five ways that you can support your nervous system this holiday season.
5 Ways to Support Your Nervous System This Holiday Season
The human body is amazing. It was built with the capacity to respond to stress and then rebalance itself. So here are five tools that focus on the “rebalance” part of this built-in response system.
1. Breathe Like You Mean It
Before you react, pause. Inhale for four counts, hold for seven, exhale for eight. Repeat 3-5 times. This pattern tells your vagus nerve: Let’s clear our cookies and reset. Each slow breath creates space between you and the chaos, a reminder that calm isn’t something you find; it’s something you practice. This breath pattern works by:
Activating the parasympathetic nervous system: slowing your heart rate and promoting relaxation.
Balancing oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood: improving oxygen delivery to cells and tissues.
Lowering cortisol levels: helping reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.
Stimulating the vagus nerve: which supports calmness and emotional regulation.
Encouraging mindfulness and focus: shifting attention away from stressors and grounding the body in the present moment.
2. Redefine “Holiday Success”
We have been sold the idea that success in December means “doing it all.” But what if it meant feeling at peace instead? Perfection exhausts your nervous system. Presence repairs it. Let go of the illusion that more equals meaning. Because no one remembers matching napkins — they remember laughter, warmth, and how they felt around you. Here are five examples of how you can implement the redefining of holiday success:
Work towards a less packed schedule: Make time for peace, relaxation, or activities that bring you joy.
Simplify your to-do list: Find small ways to outsource and delegate things. Relinquish control.
Set boundaries with your time: It’s okay to leave a party early if you’re tired, or take a quiet morning before the chaos of the day begins.
Focus on connection over presentation: Let the table be imperfect if it means you can linger in a good conversation. The dishes can wait.
Create small moments of peace: Light a candle or play some soft music between tasks. Simple rituals like these remind your nervous system that it’s safe to slow down.
3. Make Space for Micro-Moments of Joy
You don’t need a weekend retreat to reset. A few minutes of genuine presence can shift your entire physiology. Try some of these “micro-moments”:
Step outside and feel the cold air hit your face. Breathe deep. Find gratitude.
Sip something warm and notice the complexities of its taste.
Play music that makes you smile (and maybe even dance).
Share a long hug (20 seconds = nervous system gold).
These tiny moments, though simple, signal to your body that it’s safe to slow down, rest, enjoy, and be present. Don’t knock ‘em until you try ‘em!
4. Feed Calm from the Inside Out
Your gut and your brain are in constant conversation. What you eat can either calm or amplify stress. Choose real, grounding foods, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and protein. Try to limit the processed, sugar-laden “energy crashes.” Hydrate. Rest. And yes, enjoy the chocolate. Pleasure is healing, too.
5. Remember What Actually Matters
This is your invitation to return to what is real. Not the performative version of joy, but the authentic kind. Joy is found in shared meals, in moments of stillness, in connection - not consumption. It’s remembering that your nervous system doesn’t light up when you hit “Place Order.” It lights up when you breathe deeply, laugh freely, and feel safe enough to simply be.
As we wrap up this blog, I invite you to take these tools and frame them in your mind as a new way to build and create your holidays. Let go of the old habits that don’t serve, and pick up the new gift of a regulated nervous system.
The Last Bite
Supporting your nervous system isn’t about stepping away from the holidays. It’s about stepping into them with intention. When you move from overdrive to alignment, the season feels lighter, richer, and infinitely more meaningful. So maybe this is the year you rewrite the script. Less hustle. More humanity. Less noise. More nourishment. Less “should.” More soul. And if you need support finding your way back to that sense of calm and connection, I’m here to help.
As an Integrative Health & Wellness Coach, I help people regulate stress, restore balance, and reimagine what wellbeing can look like. Not just during the holidays, but all year long. When you learn to regulate your nervous system, you change the way you experience everything, including the holidays.