Though the Holidays can be a wonderful time to celebrate traditions and connect with loved ones, it can also be a time of increased stress for essentially the same reasons. Whether it's the extra responsibilities, activities to be present for, or any psycho-emotional stress this time of year brings, here are 5 tips for staying grounded this season.
Prioritize Catching Sunlight
Natural sunlight exposure reduces cortisol levels and improves overall resilience to stress. Yet during this time of year when the window of light is significantly reduced, it’s easy for the day to fly by before you realize that you never even made it outside for some fresh air! Try to prioritize getting a walk in either in the morning or before the sun sets. This can make a huge difference in regulating your circadian rhythms that influence sleep, mood, and energy levels.
Have Boundaries
Oftentimes when thinking of boundaries it’s regarding other people, but it can be helpful to think about what boundaries you may benefit from setting for yourself regarding energy output, commitments, and even your choices around food. Maybe you decide that you won’t say yes to anything not already on your schedule by a certain point, or that you’re only going to indulge in alcohol on specific days.
Don’t Skip Regular Meals
The holidays is often a time of extra indulgence in both specific foods we may not eat everyday, or even more so - treats, desserts, and sugar. While it’s going to be entirely dependent upon the individual, making sure that you’re still having balanced meals throughout the day will provide the best foundation and resilience for having an extra treat. Replacing balanced meals with baked goods, desserts, etc. is more likely to cause blood instability vs. having the treat as a dessert (shortly after a meal)!
Incorporate some Adaptogen Teas
Adaptogenic herbs can help your body adapt to stress and tea can be an easy way to incorporate the power of some of these stress supporting herbs into your life without adding another supplement to your list. Look for tea brands like Organic India, or Yogi that have Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, or Holy Basil (Tulsi) either as a stand alone or blend. You can sip on these teas throughout the day for some extra warmth as well as resiliency!
Take a Deep Breath
Breathwork is an incredibly effective strategy for quickly shifting the body out of the stressful ‘flight or flight mode’ back into the calm parasympathetic state. There are many quick techniques you can practice utilizing in moments of acute stress - like alternate nostril breathing (Nadi Shodhana).
How to Do It:
1. Sit comfortably with a straight spine.
2. Use your right thumb to close your right nostril.
3. Inhale deeply through your left nostril.
4. Close your left nostril with your right ring finger, release your right nostril, and exhale fully through the right nostril.
5. Inhale through the right nostril, close it, and exhale through the left nostril.
This completes one cycle. Repeat for 5–10 cycles, focusing on slow, smooth breaths. It’s a quick way to feel grounded and balanced!
If you want to learn even more effective breathing techniques that promote relaxation and build resilience to stress, our Introduction to Breathwork course is perfect for you!
