Holiday Overwhelm is Real

How Your Nervous System Responds — And How to Soothe It “

A Trauma-Informed Guide for Navigating the Season”

The holidays. They promise joy, connection, and celebration — but for many people, December brings something very different: pressure, overstimulation, disrupted routines, and a nervous system that feels pushed beyond capacity.

At NW Regen, we see this every year. Patients report feeling “wired and tired,” more emotionally reactive, more forgetful, and more physically tense. 

And for those with ADHD, anxiety, trauma histories, or sensory sensitivity, the season can feel downright overwhelming.

To help guide our patients through these weeks with more clarity and compassion, we asked Dr. Alicia Hart, our Mental Health, Stress, and ADHD specialist, to share insights on how the nervous system responds to holiday stress — and how you can support it with simple, practical tools.

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Why the Holidays Trigger the Stress Response

Even if you normally “manage stress well,” December disrupts the nervous system in predictable ways. Here’s what makes this time of year uniquely activating:

1. Routines disappear — and so does predictability

Travel, parties, school breaks, and shifting schedules reduce structure. Without rhythm or routine, the brain’s sense of safety can weaken.

2. Sensory load increases

Lights, crowds, noise, travel, cooking, shopping — all of it adds to sensory input. For ADHD or trauma-sensitive nervous systems, this flood can feel like too much, too fast.

3. Emotional dynamics intensify

Family gatherings can activate old patterns, grief can resurface, and expectations can feel heavy.

4. Executive functioning gets strained

Many people juggle more tasks in December than in any other month: gifts, logistics, events, deadlines — often with less time and more pressure.

Together, these send the nervous system into sympathetic activation: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. If fawn is a new term for you, it’s especially common in women due to social conditioning, and can show up as:

• Over-apologizing or taking blame to avoid conflict
• Trying to manage others’ emotions so they don’t get upset
• Avoiding expressing needs, preferences, or boundaries
• Becoming overly helpful or compliant when stressed
• Automatically prioritizing others’ comfort over your own safety or well-being
• Pleasing people to “keep the peace”

“Many people struggle with the increase in nervous system activation around the holidays,” explains Dr. Hart. “We all only have so much capacity to respond to different needs which is why we have phrases like ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup’ and ‘you have to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others.’”

“When people who may have challenges with emotional regulation, time management, and losing things are put in situations that require those skills more intensely, it can be challenging!” says Dr. Hart. “From November to January, what I tend to see in folks with ADHD is overcommitment. In PTSD, I tend to see an increase in isolation and disassociation.”

“A stress response is essentially the body’s way of trying to give you more ability to respond to a situation,” she explains. “Think of it like extra electricity. In some situations, extra electricity is really helpful – like, when you need increased power to make something turn on. In some situations, extra electricity is not helpful –  like, if the electricity overloads a circuit and turns into heat instead.”

The Body Keeps the Score — Especially in December

Holiday overwhelm is not just emotional. It’s physical. We see this all the time in clinic:

• Headaches and migraines
• Jaw clenching and neck tension
• Gut symptoms (nausea, bloating, IBS flares)
• Sleep disruption
• Pain flares (especially with EDS, POTS, or MCAS)
• Feeling “on edge” or easily startled

Dr. Hart explains, “Your body can cause emotional symptoms, and your mind can cause physical symptoms. That is how biochemistry and physiology work. There is not a separation between the mind and the body. Your nervous system is a part of your body. “

“The holiday season stress can cause physical symptoms- because stress is a physical reaction. An increase in stress and, therefore, in inflammation can cause a flare in lots of health conditions- like migraines, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, and depression. Fortunately, there are lots of things we can work on to help improve how much stress impacts your body.”

PTSD, Stress & the Role of SGB

For patients with PTSD or chronic hypervigilance, holiday stress can intensify symptoms. When the stress response gets stuck “on,” emotional and physical symptoms worsen.

This is one area where Dr. Wood’s Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) can be a powerful intervention — helping reset the sympathetic nervous system when trauma patterns become entrenched.Learn more about SGB here → and contact us to set up a consultation with Dr. Wood.

ADHD, Trauma & Holiday Dysregulation

For individuals with ADHD or trauma histories, December can feel like a perfect storm.

Common challenges include:

• Decision fatigue from constant choices
• Feeling easily overwhelmed by noise or social settings
• Emotional reactivity  
• Losing track of tasks or timelines
• Struggling with transitions
• Getting “stuck” in freeze or shutdown

Dr. Hart advises: “Give yourself a tiny break every day. Step out for a few minutes to listen to a song. Give yourself permission to take a nice bath. Check out a novel with no educational value from the library. Find 5 minutes to take for yourself and take them, without feeling guilty about the rest.” 

“Practice saying ‘I need to check my calendar before I commit, can you follow up with me about this on [specific date],’” she suggests. “Then say no to things that you don’t want to do because you have a prior commitment – whether that is a commitment on the schedule or a commitment to yourself to stop overcommitting.”

Micro-Regulation: Tools You Can Use in Real Time

You do not need long meditation sessions or complicated routines to soothe your nervous system. Small, frequent resets work best.

Here are some of Dr. Hart’s go-to tools:

1. The 60-Second Reset

Step away from the noise. Place your feet on the ground. Lengthen your exhale.
This shifts the nervous system toward safety within moments.

2. Breath Pacing

Try: inhale for 4, exhale for 6.
A longer exhale activates the parasympathetic nervous system. Dr. Hart cautions, “If breathing exercises don’t cause increased anxiety (and for people with asthma, they can!), square breathing can also be helpful. Breathe in for a count of 5, hold the breath in for a count of 5, breathe out for a count of 5, and hold it out for a count of 5.” 

3. Grounding Through the Senses

Identify: 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste.
This interrupts overwhelm.

4. Structured Sensory Breaks

Go outside. Sit in your car for 3 minutes. Step into a quiet room.
Removing stimulation is a form of nervous system care.

5. Gentle Movement

Neck rolls, shoulder squeezes, slow walking — movement signals safety to the brain.

6. Feel Free to Shift, Reposition, or Move as Needed 

Dr. Hart says, “Let yourself fidget. I’m particularly pro fiber crafts like crochet and embroidery to keep my hands busy, but use whatever works for you and the situation you are in.”

Trauma-Informed Approaches to Holiday Interactions

Not all stress is avoidable, but how you approach interactions can dramatically soften the load. Key principles:

1. You’re allowed to have boundaries

Leaving early, skipping an event, or stepping away from a conversation are legitimate forms of self-care.

2. Anticipate your triggers

Knowing what environments or dynamics feel activating helps you plan ahead.

3. Build in breaks

Treat pauses as non-negotiable, not optional.

4. Reduce social load where possible

Shorter visits often allow for deeper presence.

Dr. Hart often tells patients: “Make the situation as comfortable as possible for yourself. If the noise bothers you, consider using earplugs or volunteering for tasks that put you in quieter spaces. If you can get away with inventing a new tradition to only wear cozy pajamas instead of scratchy sweaters, do it. If you need a friendly face, invite them and ask for support.” 

When Overwhelm Signals Something More

Some signs that deserve deeper evaluation:

• Persistent irritability or emotional swings
• Feeling “stuck on high alert”
• Sleep failing despite exhaustion
• Physical symptoms that worsen under stress
• Panic episodes or shutdown
• Holiday anxiety that continues into January

If this resonates, an appointment with Dr. Hart can help determine whether stress, trauma, ADHD, dysautonomia, or other factors are contributing — and what personalized care can support you.

“’We’ve always done…’ only means that those traditions are what worked in the past. You are allowed to build joy and create traditions that work for you,” says Dr. Hart. “Holiday stress does not have to be a normal part of your holidays.”

🌿 Need support regulating your nervous system this season?

Book a visit with Dr. Hart for integrative mental health and ADHD care.

🌿 Experiencing physical symptoms of trauma or chronic fight-or-flight?

Learn about Dr. Wood’s Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) treatment.