Feeling overwhelmed this festive season? You’re not alone.
For many women, Christmas isn’t just about celebration - it’s about responsibility. Hosting, gift buying, family expectations, work deadlines and a packed social calendar can quickly turn December into a source of Christmas stress and anxiety.
If you’re feeling tense, exhausted or emotionally drained, it’s not a personal failing. Stress has a real, physical impact on the body - especially when routines are disrupted and sleep is compromised.
The good news? Small, science-backed changes can make Christmas feel calmer and more manageable, without striving for perfection.
Here’s a nutritionist-approved Christmas survival guide to help you support your body and mind through the festive season.
Why Christmas Stress and Christmas Anxiety Feel So Intense
Christmas often brings a perfect storm of pressure:
- Increased mental load and responsibility
- Less sleep and disrupted routines
- Richer foods, alcohol and irregular meals
- Less time for rest and recovery
All of this places extra demand on the nervous system, digestion and hydration - key systems involved in stress resilience and emotional balance.
As a result, christmas anxiety can show up as:
- Feeling constantly “on edge”
- Poor sleep or racing thoughts
- Digestive discomfort or bloating
- Fatigue, irritability or low mood
A Nutritionist’s Christmas Survival Guide
1. Reduce Pressure to Reduce Christmas Stress
Stress isn’t just emotional - it’s physiological.
When you’re constantly rushing or feeling responsible for everything, cortisol (the stress hormone) stays elevated, leaving you tense and depleted.
Giving yourself permission to do less - even in small ways - helps calm the nervous system and reduce overall christmas stress.
2. Support Sleep, Even If It’s Shorter
Late nights and early mornings are common in December, but sleep quality matters just as much as sleep length.
Magnesium plays a key role in relaxing the nervous system and muscles, helping the body move into a more restful state. This is why many women choose Wassen Relax & Replenish during busy or stressful periods - it provides magnesium alongside supporting nutrients designed to help calm the body and support more restorative sleep.
“During times of high stress, magnesium requirements increase. Supporting the nervous system nutritionally can make a noticeable difference to sleep quality and how resilient you feel day to day,”
- Vicky, Wassen Nutritionist
3. Stay Hydrated to Support Energy and Mood
Dehydration is a common (and often overlooked) contributor to fatigue, headaches and brain fog, especially during winter.
Heating, alcohol, travel and busy days all increase fluid and electrolyte loss, which can heighten feelings of christmas anxiety and exhaustion.
Using a targeted hydration formula such as Wassen Hydrate + Replenish helps restore fluids and electrolytes, supporting energy levels, concentration and overall wellbeing during the festive season.
4. Support Your Gut for a Happier You
The gut and brain are closely connected. When digestion is under strain, mood and stress resilience often suffer too.
Eating slowly, chewing well and listening to fullness cues supports digestion and reduces bloating and discomfort - especially during richer festive meals.
A calmer gut often leads to:
- Better mood balance
- Reduced stress response
- Improved overall wellbeing
A healthy gut really does help support a happier you.
5. Replenish What Busy Days Deplete
Stress, irregular eating and poor sleep all increase nutrient demand. Over time, this depletion can intensify christmas stress and make recovery harder.
Focusing on replenishment - rather than restriction or perfection - helps support resilience, energy and emotional balance throughout December.
Christmas Shouldn’t Leave You Burnt Out
Christmas doesn’t need to be something you simply “get through.” With gentle, realistic support, it’s possible to feel steadier, calmer and more resilient - even during the busiest weeks.
Supporting your body is not indulgent.
It’s essential - especially when everyone else is relying on you.
