Ten Nervous System Hacks That Will Help You Stay Calm This Holiday Season

Stress feels heavier this time of year. The holidays can be beautiful and meaningful, but they can also bring pressure, overstimulation, family dynamics, financial strain, emotional triggers, and a feeling that you must hold everything together. If the holidays are a stressful time for you, you are not alone. Your nervous system feels the weight of expectations, increased responsibilities, disrupted routines, and emotional layers that the season often brings.

When your nervous system is overwhelmed your thoughts race, your chest tightens, your patience shortens, and your sense of grounding begins to slip. The good news is that your body already has built in mechanisms that help you return to balance. You simply have to learn how to work with them.

Understanding how your nervous system operates gives you a tremendous sense of power. You learn that your reactions are not personal flaws. They are biological responses that can be reshaped with practice, compassion, and awareness. This is where the science of self regulation becomes life changing.

The Neuroscience Behind Regulation

Your nervous system works through two primary branches that constantly communicate with each other.

The sympathetic nervous system is your activation system. It prepares your body for action with increased heart rate, heightened alertness, and a surge of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.

The parasympathetic nervous system is your rest and recovery system. It slows the heart rate, relaxes muscles, supports digestion, and helps you feel calm and steady. The primary nerve involved in calming is the vagus nerve, which acts like a communication superhighway between your brain and your organs.

When you feel anxious, overwhelmed, or emotionally activated it simply means your sympathetic system has taken the lead. Regulation practices activate the parasympathetic system so your internal balance is restored.

The more often you practice nervous system regulation the stronger your neural pathways for calm become. This is neuroplasticity in action. Your brain literally rewires to make calm more accessible and stress less dominant.

With that foundation in mind here are ten effective and science backed ways to regulate your nervous system.

Ten Ways to Regulate Your Nervous System

One. Deep and Intentional Breathing

Breathing is the fastest way to shift your state because it directly influences the vagus nerve. Slow and intentional breaths signal safety to the brain.

Inhale slowly through the nose, pause briefly, and exhale even more slowly through the mouth. Longer exhalations activate the parasympathetic system and help you return to balance.

This is especially helpful during holiday stress when emotions feel heightened.

Two. Grounding Through Sensory Awareness

Your senses bring your awareness back to the present moment which interrupts the cycle of worry. You can notice three things you see, two things you hear, and one thing you feel.

This simple practice stops the mental spiral and reconnects you with the here and now.

Three. Cold Exposure

A splash of cold water on your face or holding something cold in your hands activates the dive reflex which slows the heart rate and reduces emotional intensity. Therapists often use this in dialectical behavior therapy to calm the body quickly.

This is a powerful tool when holiday overwhelm hits suddenly.

Four. Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Stress often stays in the body even after the mind has moved on. Tensing and releasing muscle groups one at a time helps release stored tension.

Start with your face and move slowly down your body. This teaches your nervous system what relaxation feels like.

Five. Movement and Bilateral Stimulation

Movement helps your body process the stress hormones that accumulate during periods of tension. Even a five minute walk helps.

Walking is especially effective because each step sends alternating signals to both hemispheres of your brain. This improves focus, mood, and emotional regulation.

Six. Long Exhales and Coherent Breathing

Coherent breathing keeps your inhales and exhales the same length which supports heart rate variability, a key marker of resilience and emotional balance.

Try breathing in for six seconds and out for six seconds. This rhythm steadies your nervous system and creates a sense of internal harmony.

Seven. Safe Connection With Others

Humans regulate through co regulation which means your nervous system syncs with the people around you. A calm voice, kind expression, or a supportive conversation can help you return to a grounded state.

If the holidays are stressful reach out to someone who feels safe. Even a short check in can calm your system.

Eight. Mindful Attention to the Body

Mindfulness brings you out of your thoughts and back into your body. When you observe sensations without judgment your stress response begins to soften.

Place a hand on your chest or abdomen and notice the rise and fall of your breath. You can also scan your body from head to toe and acknowledge sensations as they come and go.

This strengthens interoceptive awareness which supports emotional regulation over time.

Nine. Visualization and Mental Imagery

The brain responds to imagery as if it is real. Visualizing a peaceful environment activates the same neural pathways involved in actual calm experiences.

Imagine a beach, a warm sunrise, or a quiet forest. Notice colors, textures, and sounds. This signals safety and helps restore balance.

Ten. Naming Your Emotion

When you label your emotion the prefrontal cortex becomes more active and the amygdala becomes less reactive. This is known as affect labeling.

Saying to yourself I feel overwhelmed, I feel anxious, or I feel stressed helps you process the emotion rather than stay fused with it.

This is deeply helpful during holiday interactions that feel emotionally charged.

Final Thoughts

Regulating your nervous system is not about becoming calm all the time. It is about building enough steadiness within yourself that you can meet the moment without feeling consumed by it. Your nervous system is always communicating with you. When you learn to listen you begin to understand what your body needs and how to respond with care.

This season can be wonderful, but it can also be overwhelming. If the holidays are a stressful time for you, these practices can help you stay grounded, present, and connected to what truly matters. You are allowed to slow down. You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to take care of the version of you who feels stretched thin this time of year.

These skills are not about eliminating stress. They are about giving yourself the support and steadiness you need to move through your days with more peace and intention.

You deserve a life that feels softer on your nervous system and kinder to your heart.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to regulate the nervous system?
It means using strategies that help your body shift from activation to a calmer and more balanced state.

How long does it take to feel a change?
Some techniques work within seconds, while others build benefits over time. Breathing often creates the quickest shift.

Can stress affect the brain?
Chronic stress influences areas such as the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. Regulation practices help protect the brain and support healthy neural pathways.

Why does my body react so strongly during stress?
Your body is wired for survival. Strong reactions are not flaws. They are biological responses designed to keep you safe.

Does mindfulness create real changes in the brain?
Yes. Research shows that mindfulness strengthens regions involved in emotional regulation and reduces activation in stress related areas.

If you enjoyed this post you can read more of my Psyched! blog at drsheenarevak.com/blog where I share science based tools for well being every Monday. Subscribe to stay updated and explore my free resources including The Peacefully Productive Planner, the Mindfulness Toolkit, and many more.