“Holiday Stress-Buster” plan

Greetings!

 

As promised, here is the second email in our one-week series dedicated to taking charge of our wellbeing during the holidays, and how to make it easy. The intention, as we discussed, is to finish this year feeling empowered and prepared to make 2026 exceptional in your physical, mental, and emotional health.

 

Yesterday, we created a daily ritual for cultivating a steady sense of gratitude. We talked about how the payoff is substantial improvements in our physiological health.

Today, I’d like to talk about a challenge we all face, especially this time of year, that can have a big impact on our overall well-being: stress management.

According to a survey by the Wexner Medical Center and the American Heart Association, 81% of people feel increased stress during the holidays. Of course, the season is meant for cherishing relationships… but it also comes with a few “bonus features”, like financial pressure, family obligations, overcommitment, and year-end work demands.

 

I'd like to identify here that the AHA also found that 64% of people struggle to prioritize regular exercise during the holidays. The big irony here? Exercise is vital to burn off stress hormones which can be hugely degrading for our health. 

 

So not only are we producing more stress hormones due to holiday pressures, we’re eliminating fewer of them because we’re moving less. 

 

This stress/exercise imbalance also affects sleep, which is one of the most powerful tools we have for supporting our nervous system. Sleep and exercise really are best friends — and both tend to get a little neglected when life gets busy.

 

We’ll talk in a few days about how to make exercise easier to stick with during this season. But for now, what other simple ways can we reduce stress?

 

This is the time of the year to get daylight. The healthy hormones depend on it, and the shorter winter days can take a toll. Aim for at least twenty minutes outside. How about a fast walk? Boom - sunshine and exercise all in one. And you'll sleep better.

 

Heads up, watch the sugar. Processed sugar spikes (and crashes) blood sugar, reducing energy and increasing irritability. I'm not suggesting a sugar-free holiday. It's just a gentle reminder so the gingerbread doesn’t stage a full-scale takeover.

 

• Move more. Even short workouts help your body burn off stress hormones. 
• Protect your sleep. Aim for consistency — your nervous system depends on it.
• Get outside daily. Twenty minutes of daylight is powerful medicine. 
• Be mindful of your diet. Enjoy the treats, but keep an eye on added sugar so your energy stays steady.
• And start your day with the gratitude ritual we devised yesterday.

 

Remember why all of this matters. Reducing stress is a critical link to keep every system in the body thriving. 

 

This journey of upleveling how we enjoy the holiday season and preparing ourselves to make 2026 awesome continues!

 

You’ve got this! 

 

Billy