What We Do to Regulate Our Nervous Systems Over the Holidays

A personal guide from two wellness-obsessed business owners

The holidays are often painted as cozy, magical, and restorative. And sometimes they are. But for many people, especially business owners, creatives, caregivers, and highly sensitive nervous systems, the holiday season can feel overstimulating, emotionally loaded, and quietly exhausting.

As founders of Tallow Twins, sisters, and women who care deeply about wellness, we have learned that regulating our nervous systems during the holidays is not about doing more self care. It is about doing less, more intentionally.

This season is full of social commitments, disrupted routines, rich food, late nights, travel, family dynamics, and the unspoken pressure to make everything feel perfect. Without intention, it can pull the nervous system into chronic stress mode, leaving us depleted by the time January arrives.

Over the years, we have learned to approach the holidays differently. Instead of trying to maintain every habit, every routine, and every expectation, we choose to support our bodies in ways that feel grounding, ancestral, and realistic.

This is not about perfection. It is about regulation.

Below, we are sharing exactly what we do to regulate our nervous systems over the holidays as busy business owners. These practices are personal, deeply lived, and supported by both experience and science.

Why Nervous System Regulation Matters During the Holidays

The nervous system governs how we respond to stress, pleasure, connection, rest, and uncertainty. When it feels safe, the body can digest food properly, sleep deeply, regulate hormones, and recover from stress. When it feels threatened or overwhelmed, the body shifts into survival mode.

During the holidays, uncertainty increases. Schedules change. Sleep shifts. Diet changes. Emotional dynamics resurface. Even positive excitement can be activating.

Regulating the nervous system is not about avoiding joy. It is about giving the body enough safety cues so it does not interpret the season as a threat.

Everything we share below is rooted in that principle.

1. We Choose One or Two Non Negotiable Routines and Let the Rest Go

One of the biggest mistakes we see during the holidays is trying to maintain every wellness habit at once. Early mornings, intense workouts, perfect nutrition, elaborate skincare routines, social obligations, and full work schedules all layered together.

That is not regulating. That is overwhelming.

Instead, we choose one or two non negotiables and commit to those only. For us, this often looks like moisturizing our skin daily and taking magnesium at night. Sometimes it is morning light and warm meals. Sometimes it is sleep and hydration.

From a nervous system perspective, consistency matters more than quantity. Predictable, repeated cues of safety tell the brain that the environment is stable. When routines are simplified, the body stops bracing.

Letting go of excess expectations creates space for regulation.

2. We Prioritize Natural Light and Let Our Bodies Set the Pace

Light is one of the most powerful regulators of the nervous system and circadian rhythm. Exposure to natural light in the morning helps regulate cortisol release, supports melatonin production at night, and improves sleep quality.

During the holidays, we make a conscious effort to get outside early, especially in the morning. Some days this looks like waking up early to see the sunrise. Other days it is simply standing by a window with coffee or taking a short walk.

We listen to our bodies. If waking early feels supportive, we do it. If rest feels more regulating, we honor that instead.

This flexibility is key. Regulation is about responding to the body, not forcing it.

3. We Sweat on Purpose Through Sauna and Long Baths

Sweating is one of the oldest forms of stress release. Sauna use and hot baths activate heat shock proteins, improve circulation, and stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system once the body cools down.

From a physiological standpoint, heat exposure followed by rest mimics ancestral stress patterns. Short bursts of stress followed by recovery teach the nervous system how to downshift.

For us, sauna sessions and long baths are not about detox trends. They are about physically releasing tension that accumulates silently during busy weeks.

The warmth, stillness, and ritual of these practices signal safety to the body.

4. We Write Handwritten Holiday Cards Instead of Overconsuming

There is something deeply regulating about writing by hand. It slows the nervous system, engages fine motor skills, and encourages reflection.

Instead of overconsuming gifts or defaulting to shopping at big department stores, we choose to write handwritten holiday cards and make DIY gifts for the people we love. This practice fosters connection, gratitude, and presence.

From a nervous system perspective, meaningful connection releases oxytocin, which counteracts stress hormones and promotes emotional safety.

This practice reminds us that regulation does not come from accumulation. It comes from connection.

5. We Eat Fat, Fibre, Salt, and Animal Based Meals

Food plays a direct role in nervous system regulation. Blood sugar stability is essential for keeping cortisol levels balanced. Meals that lack fat, fibre, or adequate calories can trigger stress responses in the body.

During the holidays, we intentionally eat warm, nourishing meals that include animal fats, protein, fibre, and salt. Butter, tallow, slow cooked meats, root vegetables, and mineral rich broths are staples for us.

This way of eating supports steady energy, hormone balance, and satiety. It also aligns with ancestral principles of winter nourishment.

Enjoying baked goods and holiday treats is part of this too. Regulation includes pleasure when it is paired with trust.

6. We Stay Cozy on Purpose

Warmth is a powerful signal of safety for the nervous system. Cold exposure can be stimulating, but during winter, chronic cold can increase stress on the body.

We stay cozy intentionally. Wool socks, natural fibers, furs, fires, warm drinks, and layered clothing are not just aesthetic choices. They support thermoregulation, which directly impacts nervous system tone.

In many traditional cultures, winter was a season of warmth, rest, and inward focus. We honor that rhythm.

7. We Get Ahead of Work So We Can Actually Rest

True rest is only possible when the nervous system does not feel chased by unfinished tasks.

Before the holidays, we make a point to prep orders, organize customer service workflows, and complete work ahead of time wherever possible. This creates mental spaciousness.

From a nervous system perspective, unresolved tasks keep the brain in a state of low grade vigilance. Completing them allows the body to downshift.

Rest feels safer when responsibility is contained.

8. We Unplug When We Are With Our Family

Presence is one of the most regulating states the nervous system can experience. Multitasking, scrolling, and constant digital input fragment attention and increase stress.

When we are with family, we unplug. Phones away. Conversations fully engaged. Meals shared without distraction.

Social connection, eye contact, laughter, and shared experiences activate the ventral vagal pathway, which supports calm, connection, and emotional resilience.

This is regulation in its simplest form.

9. We Enjoy Without Guilt

Enjoyment is not indulgence when it is paired with trust.

We enjoy a dirty martini. We enjoy baked goods. We enjoy moments of pleasure without spiraling into guilt or fear.

From a nervous system standpoint, guilt and restriction are far more dysregulating than enjoyment itself. Pleasure releases dopamine and oxytocin, both of which help counteract stress hormones.

Trusting that one moment will not derail everything builds nervous system resilience.

10. We Lean Into Nostalgia and Memory

Looking at old photos, sharing memories, and revisiting familiar traditions provides a sense of continuity and safety.

The nervous system responds positively to familiarity. Memories of connection and safety are processed by the brain in ways similar to present experiences.

Nostalgia reminds the body that it has been held before. That it belongs to a story larger than the present moment.

This sense of continuity is deeply regulating, especially during emotionally charged seasons.

11. We Rest Without Trying to Earn It

Rest is not a reward. It is a biological need.

During the holidays, we allow ourselves to rest without productivity attached. Naps, slow mornings, early nights, quiet evenings, and doing nothing without justification.

Rest activates the parasympathetic nervous system, allowing the body to repair, digest, and integrate experiences.

We remind ourselves that rest does not mean falling behind. It means staying regulated enough to continue.

A Final Note From Us

Nervous system regulation is not about perfection or rigid routines. It is about building trust with your body.

The holidays do not need to be survived. They can be experienced with presence, warmth, and softness when we choose regulation over pressure.

We share this not as an instruction manual, but as an offering. These are the practices that allow us to move through the season grounded, connected, and well.

If there is one takeaway, let it be this.

You do not need to do more to feel better.
You need to feel safer.

And safety is built through consistency, nourishment, warmth, connection, and rest.

That is what we return to, year after year.

Meghan and Madison
Founders, Tallow Twins