Written by Sam Dyllon, Yoga Teacher
Sam Dyllon is a passionate yoga teacher dedicated to helping individuals find comfort and balance in their bodies and minds. With expertise in various styles of yoga, including vinyāsa, nidrā, restorative, and chair yoga, Sam offers guidance and a support for students of all levels.
Does the holiday season leave you feeling more frazzled than festive? With endless to-do lists and mounting pressures, it’s easy to lose sight of the joy this time is meant to bring.
As the year winds down, many of us find ourselves juggling extra demands – from work deadlines and family responsibilities to social commitments and personal to-do lists. While this time of year is often associated with joy and togetherness, it can also bring stress, fatigue, and feelings of overwhelm.
The secret to navigating this busy time with ease? Yoga and mindfulness. These practices don’t require hours of commitment or prior experience – just a willingness to pause and prioritise your wellbeing. Below, you’ll find simple, practical tools to help you stay calm, centred, and stress-free this holiday season.
How yoga and mindfulness counter stress
Stress is your body’s natural response to challenges, activating the “fight-or-flight” mode to help you handle tough situations. While this response can be useful in short bursts, prolonged stress can leave you feeling drained and tense, with elevated levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) that disrupt sleep, digestion, and mood.
Yoga and mindfulness are powerful tools to counteract this. They activate the parasympathetic nervous system – often called the “rest-and-digest” or “rest-and-recharge” system. This shifts your body out of the high-alert fight-or-flight state and into a calmer, more balanced mode where healing and recovery can occur.
Here’s how it works:
Movement and breath synchronisation: yoga’s flowing movements, combined with mindful breathing, help regulate your heart rate and calm the mind. Slow, steady breaths stimulate the vagus nerve, which plays a key role in lowering blood pressure and reducing stress
Mindfulness and presence: practising mindfulness teaches you to stay present, interrupting the cycle of worrying about the past or future. By focusing on the here and now, you can reduce the mental chatter that often fuels anxiety
Stress hormone reduction: studies show that yoga and mindfulness practices can decrease cortisol levels, helping to stabilise your mood and improve your body’s ability to handle stress.
Even brief practices – whether a 10-minute yoga flow, some mindful breathing, or a short yoga nidrā – can create a ripple effect of calm that lasts for hours. By regularly engaging in these techniques, you build a sense of resilience, making it easier to navigate life’s demands without feeling overwhelmed. However, even without any prior experience, the suggestions below work because they tap into your body’s natural mechanics and rhythms, triggering responses that promote balance and ease – even if you’re new to the practice.
Three key practices to stay grounded
Here are three tried-and-tested techniques to help you maintain calm and balance, no matter how busy your schedule gets:
1. Quick yoga sequence for instant relief
This five-minute yoga flow is perfect for releasing tension and recharging your energy. Modify the poses as needed to suit your comfort and experience level:
Uttānāsana (standing forward fold): stand with your feet hip-width apart, soften your knees, and hinge at your hips to bring your stomach to your thighs. Let your head hang heavy with arms loose, and take five deep breaths. This helps calm the mind and stretch the hamstrings
Marjaryāsana-bitilāsana (cat-cow): on all fours, as you inhale, drop your belly, lift your chest, tip the front of your pelvis towards the floor, and gaze forward (cow); on your exhale, tuck your chin to your chest, round the length of your spine, and draw your navel towards your spine (cat). Continue to alternate between rounding your back as you inhale and arching it as you exhale. Repeat for five breaths to loosen your spine
Modified Ardha Matsyendrāsana (seated twist): sit with your legs extended. Cross one foot over the opposite thigh, inhale to lengthen your spine, and hold the bent knee. Exhale as you twist gently towards the bent leg. Hold for five breaths on each side to relieve tension in your back.
These poses can be done anytime – morning, afternoon, or evening – to help you reset.
Bonus: want to see these āsana in action? I’ve filmed these separately and as a mini flow to make it easier for you to follow along. Check out the videos on my Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok accounts and feel free to save them so you can practise with me anytime!
2. Mindful breathing to reduce anxiety
When stress starts to build, use this simple breathing exercise to feel grounded:
Inhale deeply through your nose for a count of four
Hold your breath for a count of four
Exhale slowly through your nose for a count of six
Hold your breath out for a count of four (or six, with practice)
Repeat this cycle 5 – 10 times. The slower exhale signals to your body that it’s safe to relax. For added calm, gently lower your chin to your chest as you exhale, keeping your neck long. This technique is particularly helpful during moments of tension, such as preparing for a big event or winding down after a busy day.
3. Yoga Nidrā for deep relaxation
Unlike other forms of meditation, yoga nidrā allows you to rest deeply while staying aware. Often referred to as “yogic sleep,” it’s a guided practice that leads you through body awareness and breathwork, helping you release tension and access a state of profound calm.
To get started, try this simplified yoga nidrā:
Lie down in a comfortable position, such as on your back with a pillow under your knees
Close your eyes and bring your awareness to your breath
Mentally scan your body, starting at your feet and moving up to your head, releasing tension in each area as you go
Focus on your breath for 10 – 20 minutes
For busy days, even 10 minutes of yoga nidrā can feel as refreshing as an hour of sleep. It’s an invaluable tool for recharging during the holiday season.
Bonus tips for holiday self-care
In addition to yoga and mindfulness, small lifestyle tweaks can also help you stay balanced:
Set boundaries: it’s okay to say no to events or commitments that feel overwhelming. Prioritise what truly matters to you
Stick to a routine: try to maintain regular sleep, meals, and movement, even if your days are hectic
Limit screen time: reduce evening screen use to improve sleep quality
Practice gratitude: spend a few moments each day reflecting on what you’re grateful for. This simple practice can shift your perspective and lift your mood.
Why self-care is the best gift you can give
When you prioritise your wellbeing, you’re better equipped to handle challenges and show up fully for the people and activities you care about. Yoga and mindfulness aren’t just about relaxation – they’re tools for resilience, helping you navigate the highs and lows of the season with grace.
By integrating practices like mindful breathing, yoga nidrā, and gentle movement into your day, you can transform stress into calm and chaos into clarity. The secret to a joyful, stress-free holiday season isn’t doing more – it’s learning to pause, breathe, and reconnect with yourself.
Would you like more insights or step-by-step guides on these practices? Reach out – I’d love to hear from you and support your journey!
Sam Dyllon is a certified yoga teacher with a focus on holistic wellness; with over 700 hours of continued professional development, Sam combines yogic tools including āsana, prāṇāyāma, and dhyāna to empower students to cultivate physical flexibility, mental resilience, and overall wellbeing.
As a member of Yoga Alliance Professionals and Yoga Teachers Together, Sam is committed to sharing the transformative benefits of yoga with the community.
