Soothing Your Nervous System in the Lead Up to Christmas
A gentle reminder to slow down, breathe and nurture yourself as the year draws to a close..
As the year gathers speed and Christmas draws closer, it can start to feel as though we are all running on empty. There are end-of-year deadlines, family plans, darker days and a thousand small things that quietly drain our energy.
This is the time when the body whispers for rest, even as the world around us demands more. The truth is, our nervous systems are not built to live in constant motion. They need pauses, grounding and gentle care, especially now.
Listening to what your body is telling you
As the seasons shift and the pace of life increases, it is easy to lose touch with how our bodies are really feeling. The signs of stress often start quietly: a racing mind, shallow breathing or tiredness that no amount of coffee can fix. These are invitations from the body to pause, breathe and reconnect. Small acts of care, such as stepping outside for fresh air, stretching for five minutes between tasks or sitting with a warm drink and steadying your breath, help to regulate the nervous system. When we begin to listen early, we can respond with compassion before stress turns into overwhelm.
Why this season can feel harder
At this time of year, I notice some common patterns in conversations with clients and friends:
Many people are unwell or struggling to shake off lingering colds.
Others are feeling harassed or overwhelmed with work and family commitments.
Some have quietly accepted that this level of busyness is just how it is in December.
But it does not have to be this way. The body holds incredible capacity to restore balance when we create space for it. Small, simple actions can make a profound difference to how we move through this season.
How to soothe your nervous system
You do not need grand changes to feel calmer. Start small, with moments that bring you back into connection with your body and breath.
Try these gentle practices:
Breathe with awareness. Notice the length of your exhale. Slow it down slightly to signal safety to your nervous system.
Ground through the senses. Step outside for a few minutes. Feel the air on your skin and notice what you can hear, smell or see.
Move slowly. Roll your shoulders, stretch or sway. Gentle movement helps release tension and allows emotions to move through the body.
Create boundaries. Remember that you can say no. Rest is not selfish; it is necessary.
Each of these small moments tells your body, “I am safe.”
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The power of taking action
Our bodies are like walking libraries of everything that has ever happened to us. Without rest and release, we carry old stress forward into new seasons.Taking action to care for yourself, whether that means booking a class, stepping outside or saying yes to a day of stillness, helps to re-pattern your nervous system over time. And if you are a parent, the research is clear: when you care for yourself, your children feel it too. Your calm becomes their calm.
You deserve to enter the festive season feeling grounded, not exhausted. The nervous system does not thrive in constant output; it thrives in rhythm, in the ebb and flow between doing and resting.