Christmas Stress Is Real — Your Breath Can Be a Gentle Anchor

For many of us, Christmas is portrayed as a time of joy, rest, and family connection. But the reality often looks very different.

The holiday season can bring:

• High expectations — to create the “perfect” celebrations

• Busy calendars — social events, planning, travelling

• Financial pressure — gifts, meals, travel

• Emotional challenges — unresolved family dynamics or grief

• Less rest — disrupted routines and lack of true downtime

All of this can trigger stress responses in our bodies — faster heart rate, shallow breathing, tension, irritability and fatigue. And yet, right under our noses (literally!) is one of the most powerful tools for calming the nervous system: our breath.

Breathing: Always With You & Free

You don’t need a gym membership, special equipment, or extra time — you already carry this tool with you wherever you go. And how we breathe matters. It turns out that breathing lighter, slower, and through the nose can help calm your nervous system and reduce stress — precisely when you need it most.

What Is “Light Breathing”?

Unlike the common advice to take big deep breaths when anxious, light breathing involves small, quiet, controlled breaths through the nose. These aren’t big lung-filling breaths — they are gentle and subtle.

Here’s why that matters:

• It optimises oxygen delivery — light breathing increases carbon dioxide slightly, which actually helps release oxygen into your tissues more efficiently.

• It calms your nervous system — by slowing the breath and activating the vagus nerve, it boosts the “rest and digest” side of your nervous system, reducing stress and anxiety.

• It improves circulation — by helping blood vessels relax, which supports a sense of calm and balance.

This approach is the foundation of the Buteyko Method — a science-informed system that retrains breathing patterns to be more efficient and calming.

When Christmas Expectations Feel Too Much, Pause and Breathe

Here’s how breathing can be your anchor during the holiday buzz:

1. Pause & Reset When Tension Rises

Caught in a traffic jam, family disagreement, or flurry of tasks? A moment of mindful breathing — light nasal breathing — signals to your brain that you’re safe. This helps shift your nervous system out of “fight or flight.”& into a "healing state"

2. Reduce Anxiety and Calm the Body

Instead of letting stress spiral into shallow, rapid breathing, light breathing teaches a slow, quiet pattern that can reduce anxiety and help you stay present — even with a hectic Christmas schedule.

3. Improve Sleep During Busy Nights

Sleepless nights often come with holiday excitement or late nights. But breathing gently through your nose has been linked to better sleep quality, helping your body truly rest before another big day.

Try This Simple Breath Practice (Anywhere, Anytime)

Here’s a beginner-friendly way to use your breath:

1. Sit comfortably or stand relaxed with good posture.

2. Close your mouth and breathe gently through your nose.

3. Slow it down — make the inhales and exhales slower, softer and soundless.

4. Keep it subtle — almost as if you’re barely breathing. Notice a gentle desire for a tiny bit more air — this is okay.

5. Continue for a minute or two — longer if you like.

Even a short practice like this can shift your nervous system from stressed to calm — and because it’s always with you, you can use it no matter where Christmas takes you.

A Breath of Peace

Christmas doesn’t have to be perfect — but it can be more peaceful. By returning again and again to your breath — a simple, free tool available in every moment — you can find calm, clarity, and a sense of calm amidst the festivities.

So this season, give yourself the gift of presence. Breathe slower and softer, breathe mindfully, and let your breath be the steady companion you return to again and again.

GUN MESKANEN HOPKINS

MENTAL HEALTH SOCIAL WORKER,

BUTEYKO BREATHING AND EBEFT PRACTITIONER