How to Cope With Christmas Stress and Anxiety: 5 Nervous System Friendly Ways
- sophiereyyoga
- Dec 21, 2025
- 6 min read
If Christmas, or the festive season, brings stress, anxiety, family pressure, financial worry, or overwhelm, you’re not alone.
While the holidays are often portrayed as joyful and magical, for many people this time of year can feel heavy, triggering, or exhausting.
Christmas can amplify anxiety, loneliness, grief, family tension, and unrealistic expectations, from feeling pressured to make everything perfect, to spending money you don’t have, eating or drinking more than feels good for your body, or forcing yourself through social situations that feel unsafe or overwhelming.
Here in the Northern Hemisphere, we’re also in the depths of winter, a season that naturally calls for rest, slowing down, and turning inward. The pace and consumerism of Christmas often go against our nervous system’s need for simplicity and regulation at this time of year. The good news is that we can still “do Christmas,” just in a more nervous system-friendly way.
If you struggle during the holidays for any reason, it’s important to remember that Christmas is just one day. It doesn’t have to look a certain way, and it can be whatever you need it to be.
If you experience holiday stress or Christmas anxiety, here are 5 gentle, realistic ways to support you this time of year.
1. Have realistic expectations about family gatherings or how much you can fit into your schedule.
If you know there are those family members who wind you up, cause arguments, make you feel anxious and on edge or say something inappropriate about food or diets, remember that you can say no to family meet ups, or choose to walk away from a situation that feels uncomfortable.
Sometimes Christmas isn't the best time of year for a get together and being realistic about what you can expect from this time together can help to avoid disappointment and arguments, which might then make it easier to heal family rifts.
Alongside this, we can try to do too much during this time; parties, gatherings, Christmas shopping, travelling from here to there to see people - It's exhausting!
Winter is a time for resting and nesting, so take a look at your calendar and make sure you've planned in some down time!
If you're feeling overwhelmed with how busy your schedule is, is there something you can graciously bow out of, or some time you can have to yourself to rest.
2. Limit time on Social Media or watching TV
Have you ever compared yourself to someone on Instagram or Facebook who seems to 'have it all', or felt bombarded by adverts selling all the amazing things you MUST HAVE and MUST BUY?!
If you get Social Media overwhelm and it brings you down, try to limit or avoid how much time you spend scrolling social media and watching tv. Could you delete the apps so you're not tempted, play some games or read a book.
Scrolling can be a habit, but it's also a survival instinct. When we scroll and take in constant streams of information, especially things that make us compare to others, we can become dysregulated. It's not helpful and it's not going to change your situation, so why make yourself feel worse?
Somatic Felt-Sense Practice...
Think of one of two things you are grateful for in your life - something that meets a basic human need, such as a roof over your head, a warm comfortable bed, your partner or best friend.
Close your eyes if it's comfortable, and bring one of those to mind. Imagine yourself in that scenario, curled up in your comfy bed, or hugging a loved one... make it seem real... maybe even reflect on a recent moment...
Scan your body and see if you can feel or sense how this gratitude shows up in your body. Do you soften, do you smile, do you feel a warmth in your chest?
3. Everything in Moderation.
FOOD FOOD FOOD everywhere! There is an expectation to eat loads and over-indulge this time of year; Christmas do's, family gatherings, Christmas day (of course), buffets, the lead up to the big day and the leftovers after, along with chocolates and sweets everywhere, especially if you work in an office environment.
And it's not just food; alcohol intake increases too.
What we eat and drink has a huge impact on our nervous system - which then impacts our sleep, our hormones and more.
It can make us feel sluggish, bloated, uncomfortable and guilty, whilst disturbing sleep and leading to increased sensitivity and emotions. If you struggle with your eating, this time of year can heighten anxiety, but remember you do not need to eat all the time or drink excessive amounts of alcohol, you do not need to 'stock up' on indulgent foods or eat all the mince-pies just because they're only available once a year.
Food can be a coping strategy, for comfort and emotional nourishment or restriction and feeling in control. There is a lot to be said on this particular topic (that requires it's own blog post) so what I will say is, you are not doing anything wrong - your brilliant body has taught you how to stay safe, comforted and in control.
If you are struggling, try to talk to someone you really trust (who is likely to be around you at Christmas or you can easily contact) and ask for their support - just someone to listen, to take deep breaths with or dance to your favourite song. Depending on where you are in your personal journey, you might enjoy a little of what you do fancy so you're not restricting, or you might need to remove indulgent foods completely. Maybe you even need to set a boundary with people who make comments or try to push you.
4. Allocate time for yourself (everyday)
Whether you find your stress levels rising or not; Time out is sometimes just needed, especially if you're a sensitive person.
This can be difficult if you have caring responsibilities, children, ageing parents or you're working over the holidays.
Scheduling some small pockets of time into your diary can be a great place to start;
5 minutes to close your eyes and notice your breath.
2 minutes to bounce lightly or shake your body to release tension (to your favourite song)
5 deep belly breaths as you stretch upwards, side to side, forwards and twist.
Just like you would plan in family gatherings, a work meetings, kids activities or your lunch break, schedule in some time for you to 'regulate' or bring some stability back to your nervous system.
Could you ask a partner or friend to take the kids for a few hours whilst you do something just for you; read a book, have a bath, go for a walk, do some Yoga or Meditation, exercise, whatever is it that helps YOU to come back to yourself and wind down!
If you have relatives staying, manage their expectations by telling them you've planned in 'down time' for you all to do something to help you relax. You may be tempted to play a game or go for a walk together, but remember who you are with and whether you need some space away. Your down time doesn't want to cause you more stress!
5. Sleep or active rest
Sleep can be a real struggle for many people, especially those of us who are very anxious or over-thinkers!
Sleep patterns might get worse during this time of year, as you mentally go over all the things you need to do before Christmas Day!
When you wake up in the middle of the night, stress hormones pumping through your body, it can feel like hell. This is where doing some gentle movement, bouncing, breathing or soothing helps to bring you back into regulation or stability. You could even put on a guided Yoga Nidra to help you focus your mind and help you feel more rested, if you can't sleep.
Try to establish a routine for bedtime and stick to it. Eating late and drinking alcohol can both affect your sleep, so set yourself a cut off point and drink plenty of water for the rest of the evening.
Avoid going to bed late, watching TV and scrolling through your phone in bed.
Some suggestions for a night time routine could be; having a shower or warm bath with lavender, drinking warm sleepy tea, listening to a guided meditation or relaxation tape, doing some gentle stretches, calming forward folds and deep belly breathing - aiming to increase the length of your inhales and exhales as you go. You might even have a really soothing night time skincare routine which you can do to some gentle music.
Here is one of my 60 minute guided Yoga Nidra practices for deep rest and connection to self. Perfect for over the holidays!
I know that these can be easier said than done. First, work with your nervous system to find some stability, regulation and safety.
Over time, you build the capacity to meet your own needs and not feel the need to compare to others, or ignore yourself to make others happy.
If you would like any support, these are things I help clients with in 1-1 Somatic Coaching.
I also run a monthly Somatic Reset Ritual, which is a great place to start and get to know me.
Wishing you all a gentle and restful festive period.
Love to you all,
Sophie xx
1-1 Somatic Coaching; a gentle, guided space to soften self-judgement and reconnect with your body;
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