How to reset your nervous system in 10 minutes a day (during the Holidays)

December can be beautiful. It can also be loud, busy, emotional, and surprisingly exhausting.

For some people, Christmas stress is practical: money, shopping, travel, family logistics, hosting, and trying to make everything “nice.” For others, it’s more personal: grief, loneliness, strained relationships, or the pressure to feel cheerful when you don’t.

If you’re feeling wired, snappy, tearful, or like you can’t switch off, it doesn’t mean you’re failing at the holidays. It often means your nervous system is overloaded.

This post isn’t about adding another task to your list. It’s about giving your body a quick signal of safety so you can come back to yourself.

A quick reminder: what it means to “reset” your nervous system

When we’re under pressure, the nervous system tends to move into survival states:

·       Fight (irritable, impatient, angry)

·       Flight (busy, restless, can’t stop)

·       Freeze (numb, stuck, overwhelmed)

A “reset” is simply a short practice that helps your body shift out of survival mode and into a calmer state where you can think clearly, feel more grounded, and respond rather than react.

You don’t need an hour. You don’t need perfect conditions. You need a few minutes of consistent, kind attention.

The 10-minute holiday reset (choose one, or mix and match)

Pick one of these each day. Set a timer for 10 minutes. That’s it.

1) The 60-second exhale (then repeat)

Longer exhales help signal safety to the body.

1.       Inhale gently through your nose for a count of 4.

2.       Exhale slowly for a count of 6–8.

3.       Repeat for 10 rounds.

If counting feels stressful, simply focus on making the exhale a little longer than the inhale.

2) Grounding through your senses (5–4–3–2–1)

This is a quick way to come out of spiralling thoughts and back into the present.

·       5 things you can see

·       4 things you can feel (feet on the floor, hands, clothing)

·       3 things you can hear

·       2 things you can smell

·       1 thing you can taste

Do it slowly. Let your eyes move around the room. Let your shoulders drop.

3) The “hand on heart + belly” check-in

This is simple, discreet, and surprisingly effective.

1.       Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly.

2.       Breathe naturally.

3.       Ask yourself: “What do I need right now?”

You’re not looking for a perfect answer. You’re practising listening.

4) A 10-minute walk with one rule

The rule: no problem-solving while you walk.

Let it be a nervous system walk, not a productivity walk.

If your mind starts planning, gently return to:

·       the feeling of your feet

·       the air on your face

·       the rhythm of your steps

5) A boundary sentence (to reduce nervous system load)

Sometimes the kindest reset is a boundary.

Try one of these:

·       “I’m going to keep it simple this year.”

·       “That doesn’t work for me, but thank you for thinking of me.”

·       “I can do X, but I can’t do Y.”

·       “I’m taking a quiet 10 minutes and I’ll be back.”

Your nervous system responds to clarity.

If Christmas is stressful for emotional reasons

If the season brings grief, loneliness, or complicated family dynamics, you’re not alone.

A gentle reframe that can help is this:

·       You don’t have to make it perfect.

·       You don’t have to perform happiness.

·       You’re allowed to keep it small and meaningful.

Sometimes the most important thing isn’t the material side of Christmas. It’s remembering what matters: connection, kindness, rest, and being true to yourself.

A simple question to come back to what’s important

If you’re feeling pulled in a hundred directions, try journalling for two minutes:

·       “If I could only do three things this Christmas season, what would I choose?”

Let the answer guide your decisions.

Tiny reset, real impact

You don’t need to overhaul your life in December.

You need small moments that tell your body: I’m safe. I’m here. I can slow down.

If you try one of these resets today, notice what changes. Even a 5% shift matters.

If you’d like support

If stress and overwhelm feel like a constant background hum, mindfulness and nervous system regulation can help you build steadier foundations—not just for Christmas, but for everyday life.

If you’d like to explore training, retreats, or 1:1 support, you can find more at The Holistic Coach House.