Managing Stress and Anxiety During the Holidays
Author: Savannah Belk-Talton
As the holidays approach, it’s common for stress levels to rise and feelings of anxiety to increase. This time of year can be overwhelming for many, often bringing on difficult emotions and situations that can be hard to navigate. If you’re feeling this way—or have in the past—you’re not alone.
At AGP, we can support you with tools to address holiday stress and explore what makes it feel challenging to manage. CBT is one of the many evidence-based therapies that can help reduce the burden of stress and anxiety. Below are a few ways you can begin taking action, even if you aren’t currently in therapy.
1. Exercise: Completing the Stress Response Cycle
Proper stress management begins with making time for the activities that help you feel balanced. We’ve all heard how important it is to move our bodies, but exercise offers more than just physical benefits—it also helps complete the stress response cycle.
When the sympathetic nervous system (our fight–flight–freeze response) is activated by modern stressors like family conflict, work pressure, or world events, the body prepares for action but often has no outlet. The type of movement matters less than how it makes you feel.
By increasing heart rate, respiration, and muscle activity, exercise helps use up stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, signaling to the brain and body that the threat has passed. Choosing activities you enjoy—whether yoga, strength training, or a brisk walk—helps send your body a powerful message that you are safe and in control.
Exercise also releases endorphins, endocannabinoids, serotonin, and dopamine—chemicals that improve mood, regulate anxiety, and enhance cognitive function. Research shows that even 10–20 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (like power walking) can meaningfully improve mood and reduce stress. Over time, a consistent movement routine can buffer the toxic effects of chronic stress. This evidence highlights how consistent movement helps buffer the toxic effects of chronic stress.
2. Sleep: Rest and Recovery for the Mind and Body
We can’t talk about the benefits of exercise without acknowledging the need for rest and recovery. Sleep supports the immune system, brain function, and emotional resilience. While busy schedules and family demands can make it challenging, restructuring your routine to prioritize adequate rest aids in stress reduction and overall well-being.
During sleep, your body completes vital processes that help regulate hormones, repair tissues, and consolidate memory. Adequate sleep also helps maintain balance in the HPA axis (the system that controls your stress response), preventing excess cortisol from building up and keeping the body in a calmer baseline state. Studies show that even modest sleep deprivation can heighten anxiety sensitivity, increase emotional reactivity, and make stressors feel more overwhelming. Creating a consistent bedtime routine, such as limiting screen time before bed, keeping a cool and dark sleep environment, and engaging in relaxing activities like reading or stretching can make a measurable difference in the quality of your rest.
3. Breathwork: Calming the Nervous System
Breathwork is another powerful way to recalibrate the nervous system by activating the parasympathetic (“rest-and-digest”) response. Deep breathing helps slow heart rate, lower blood pressure, and reduce feelings of panic. Studies show that regular breathing practices can improve emotional regulation, mood, and brain-wave patterns associated with calm.
Read more: The Science of Breathwork – PMC (2023)
One effective technique is box breathing:
Inhale for a count of 4
Hold for a count of 4
Exhale for a count of 4
Hold again for a count of 4. Repeat several times until you feel your body begin to relax.
While breathwork isn’t a substitute for therapy, it’s an excellent self-regulation tool for increasing resilience.
4. Mind–Body Practices: Meditation and Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) involves systematically tensing and releasing different muscle groups to lower physical tension and engage the parasympathetic nervous system. This technique can be done in under 10 minutes and has been shown to improve sleep quality, reduce perceived stress, and lessen anxiety symptoms.
Read more: Cleveland Clinic: Progressive Muscle Relaxation
You can find free guided PMR sessions on YouTube or through meditation apps such as Aura, Insight Timer, or Calm. Tools like these can also be incorporated into therapy sessions if the client is open to trying them.
5. Gratitude Practices: Reframing the Holiday Experience
Another evidence-based practice for reducing stress during the holidays is gratitude journaling. This can be as simple as writing down three things you’re thankful for each day or expressing appreciation to someone.
Gratitude has been shown to lower cortisol levels, improve mood, and enhance life satisfaction. During a season that can bring comparison or emotional fatigue, gratitude shifts focus toward positive experiences and social connection. Studies suggest that even two weeks of daily gratitude journaling can lead to significant reductions in stress and increases in well-being.
Read more: Harvard Health Publishing – Giving Thanks Can Make You Happier
Bringing It All Together
At AGP, we’re here to help you put these tools into practice and tailor them to your needs. Whether you are struggling with clinical anxiety or everyday stressors, mindfulness based intervention can aid in your relief. Schedule a consultation with AGP today to learn more about managing holiday stress.