Supporting Your Body and Mind Through a Busy Season
The holiday season brings a mix of joy, connection, celebration, and, for many of us, a sense of pressure or overwhelm. Between shopping, year-end deadlines, winter weather, extra social commitments, and family expectations, it’s common to feel both physically and mentally stretched. Your body often shows the signs long before you consciously notice: may tense shoulders, a tight jaw, an aching low back, or even fatigue that seems to linger.
The good news is that small, intentional practices can make a meaningful difference. With a little planning and awareness, you can move through the holidays with more ease, steadiness, and comfort.
Why the Holiday Season Impacts the Body
Even happy stress is still stress. During November and December, we often shift into “go-go-go mode”. We have more errands, more activities for the kids, more driving, more time indoors, and less time caring for our bodies in simple, grounding ways. Combine that with colder temperatures, which can increase muscle tension and make joints feel stiffer and your body is working harder than usual.
Common patterns this time of year include:
Jaw tension from concentration, stress, or holding your breath in the cold
Shoulder and neck tightness from shopping, wrapping gifts, baking or long hours at a desk
Low back discomfort from lifting heavier items or shovelling
Fatigue or muscle soreness from a faster, more demanding pace
Understanding these patterns can help you support your body before the tension builds.
Quick Tension-Relievers You Can Use Anytime
Remember if you try any of these, be sure to work in a pain free range. If you have any sharp pain stop immediately, discontinue that exercise/stretch and let your therapist know.
1. Jaw Reset (1 minute)
Over the holidays, many people clench their jaw without noticing. A quick reset helps soften the entire face.
Rest your tongue gently on the floor of your mouth
Relax the space behind your back molars
Slowly open and close your jaw 5–6 times
Take a slow breath through your nose while keeping your mouth soft
This reduces tension that often leads to headaches or facial discomfort.
2. Shoulder De-Load (2 minutes)
Whether you’re cooking, wrapping gifts, driving, or sitting at a laptop, your shoulders creep upward.
Try this:
Inhale and gently shrug your shoulders up toward your ears
Hold for 2 seconds, then exhale fully as you release
Repeat 3–4 times
Follow with 10 gentle backward shoulder rolls
This encourages blood flow and reduces protective muscle guarding.
3. Low Back Unwind (3 minutes)
Cold weather + repetitive lifting (groceries, decor, gifts, shovelling) = low back stiffness.
A simple reset:
Stand with feet hip-width apart
Gently sway your hips side to side, allowing the low back to move
Add small circles with your hips, moving slowly and pain free
Finish with a slow forward fold, letting your arms hang, and have a soft bend in your knees
This restores movement and decreases stiffness through the lumbar spine.
Pacing Yourself: One of the Most Impactful Holiday Tools
Holiday “to-dos” can stack up quickly. Instead of pushing through, build micro-breaks into your day:
Break tasks into 20–30 minute chunks
Alternate high-demand tasks with lower-demand ones
Pause for 3 deep breaths when transitioning between errands
Spread out holiday prep rather than tackling everything in a single weekend
This reduces stress on your nervous system and prevents muscle tension from accumulating.
Small Rituals for Holiday Recovery
Your body responds well to consistency, even in small doses.
Consider integrating:
A nightly 5-minute stretch routine (neck → shoulders → hips)
A short walk outside each day for sunlight and circulation
Five deep belly breaths before going to bed
A warm shower focused on relaxing the shoulders and back
These rituals act like “reset buttons,” helping your body come down from the stress of the day.
How Massage Therapy Supports You During the Holiday Rush
Massage can be a grounding, restorative anchor during a hectic season. It can help:
Reduce muscular tension from winter activities
Calm the nervous system
Improve circulation in cold weather
Support recovery from repetitive holiday tasks
Provide intentional time to reconnect with your body
Scheduling a session before or after the busiest weeks of the season can help maintain balance and prevent tension from becoming long-term discomfort.
The holidays may always be busy, but how your body moves through them doesn’t have to be stressful. With mindful pacing, intentional movement, and quick tension relievers, you can support your body through the winter rush and step into the new year feeling more balanced and grounded.
If you’re ready to reset, unwind, or prepare your body for the season ahead, I’m here to help.
This blog post was partially developed using ChatGPT to generate ideas and refine the structure. The author made the final edits and choices
This is not medical advice. Please speak to your health care practitioner before starting any activity, or trying any treatment options.
