Shopping, Parties, & The Nervous System
how SIMO breath can help you stay calm, centered and connected in this busy time of the year.
The holiday season arrives wrapped in sparkling lights, gatherings, and traditions that warm the heart. Yet for many, it also brings something less magical and far more draining:
The Christmas frenzy.
The packed malls, endless to-do lists, financial pressure, family dynamics, late-night parties, sugar crashes, social expectations, travel, and disrupted routines…
All of it can tip the nervous system into stress mode before we even realize it.
Even moments meant to be joyful may feel rushed, overwhelming, or heavy—leaving little room for presence, connection, or genuine joy.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
With conscious breathing, we can reshape our holiday experience from chaos to calm celebration.
Welcome to SIMO Breath for a Peaceful Holiday Season.
Why the Holidays Trigger Stress (Even When We Love Them)
The brain craves safety, predictability, and routine. December often brings the opposite:
Crowded spaces and sensory overload
Higher spending and financial decisions
Pressure to create “perfect” holiday moments
Travel and disrupted sleep rhythm
Emotional family interactions
More alcohol, more sugar, less grounding
Social exhaustion and pressure to buy the perfect gift!
This can activate the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight), triggering:
racing thoughts
irritability or anxiety
shallow breathing
muscle tension
difficulty sleeping
emotional reactivity
feeling disconnected from yourself or others
Anxiety and depression
This is why many people find themselves saying:
“I love Christmas… but I can’t wait for it to be over.”
It should not be like this, we should be able to enjoy the Holidays without the stress around it. But how? The answer is the breath! The breath is our way back.
SIMO Breath: A Path to Holiday Nervous System Reset
Our Soma breath practices help the body naturally shift into parasympathetic mode—the state of rest, digestion, bonding, and emotional openness.
With guided breathwork, rhythmic breathing, music, and hypnosis-inspired cues, we stimulate the neurochemical balance of A.D.O.S.E.:
| A.D.O.S.E. Neurochemicals | Support During the Holidays |
| Anandamide | Softens stress & promotes bliss |
| Dopamine | Motivates without burnout |
| Oxytocin | Deepens connection & bonding |
| Serotonin | Stabilizes mood & sleep |
| Endorphins | Reduce pain & tension |
This is not escaping the season—
it is coming home to yourself within it.
A SIMO Breath Practice for Holiday Calm
Use before gatherings, shopping, cooking, or anytime you feel overwhelmed.
The “Calm Christmas Heart Breath” (3–5 minutes)
- Sit or stand with both feet grounded.
- Place one hand on the heart, one on the belly, make sure the hand on the belly raises first.
- Inhale through the nose for 3 counts.
4. Exhale through the mouth for 6 counts.
5. Repeat and internally say:
“I slow down. I choose to be present.”
“I let this moment be enough.”
Optional visualization:
Imagine you are breathing golden warm light into your heart, expanding calm with each breath.
SIMO Breath Reminders for Holiday Peace
You don’t have to attend every event.
You are not responsible for others’ expectations.
Rest is productive.
Joy grows in slow moments.
A calm nervous system is the greatest gift you can give yourself and those you love.
A Holiday Season with More Presence, Less Pressure
Imagine a December where you take the time to:
enjoy your tea or mulled cider without rushing
actually listen during conversations
feel connected rather than drained
choose gifts from a grounded place, not urgency
fall asleep peacefully, not wired and overwhelmed
The season becomes less about performance
and more about presence
Enjoy the moment!
Want support staying regulated through the season?
You might love:
- Session SIMO Breath Holiday Reset
Monthly Nervous System Membership
1:1 Breathwork for Stress & Burnout
Couples Breathwork for Holiday Harmony
Recorded guided sessions for calm & sleep
Check my website: simobreath.com
Final Reflection
The holidays were never meant to be a marathon of exhaustion.
They were meant to be a celebration of:
Light
Community
Love
Nourishment
Memory
Gratitude
May your breath be your anchor.
May your nervous system feel held.
May you move through this season with a calm heart and a relaxed body.
Because peace is a gift, too.
Much Love – Simona –