Navigating Holiday Stress: How to Protect Your Energy and Stay Balanced

The holidays are often painted as the “most wonderful time of the year,” but for many of us, they can also be the most draining. Between family gatherings, work parties, travel, and financial pressures, this season can stir up old emotions, resurface stress, and leave us feeling overwhelmed.

At Health Resonates in Portland, Maine, we see the holidays as a time not just for giving, but for grounding. Protecting your energy is one of the best gifts you can give yourself, and when your energy is cared for, you’re better able to show up for others, too.

Why the Holidays Feel Heavy

The energy of the season can amplify whatever is already present in your life. For some, being around family may bring joy and connection, while for others it can trigger old wounds or feelings of disconnection. Add in overbooked schedules, sugary foods, and little downtime, and it’s no surprise that stress and fatigue show up in both the body and the skin.

Understanding this allows us to move from reacting to stress toward responding with more awareness and compassion.

Simple Practices to Protect Your Energy

1. Create Micro-Moments of Rest

Even five minutes of quiet breathwork or meditation before a gathering can reset your nervous system. If your mind races at night, try using a weighted eye pillow, magnesium supplementation, or simply turning off screens an hour before bed. Your body restores energy most deeply in sleep—protect it like it’s sacred.

2. Ground Through Ritual

Rituals bring stability when everything else feels chaotic. Light a candle, make a cup of calming tea, or gently cleanse your skin with intention each evening. These small acts signal to your mind and body that you are safe.

3. Protect Your Boundaries

It’s okay to say no. Your time and energy are finite, and honoring your own needs is not selfish—it’s self-preservation. If certain conversations or gatherings feel triggering, give yourself permission to step back or limit your involvement.

4. Support with Bodywork

Massage and energy work are powerful tools for shifting the nervous system out of stress mode. At Health Resonates, treatments like our Ultimate Service (massage + facial combo), lymphatic drainage massage, or energy balancing sessions help release emotional buildup and restore calm. These therapies don’t just relax your body—they help reset your entire energetic field.

Try This Quick Energy Reset

Close your eyes. Place one hand on your heart and one on your belly. Take three deep breaths, inhaling for a count of four and exhaling for a count of six. Imagine your breath clearing away any heaviness or stress, and filling you with a sense of safety and calm.

Practicing this throughout the day can keep you anchored no matter what swirls around you.

Give Yourself the Gift of Support

The holiday season will always bring both joy and challenge—but you get to choose how you meet it. By supporting your body, mind, and energy, you’ll find more balance, more resilience, and maybe even more joy than years past.

✨ Ready to protect your energy this holiday season? Book your next service with us here.