5 Ways Yoga Helps Holiday Stress (Without Requiring Wine)

Listen, I love the holidays as much as the next person who enjoys financial ruin and forced small talk with distant relatives. But let’s be honest: somewhere between addressing 47 holiday cards and pretending to love your aunt’s fruitcake, we all need a little help maintaining our sanity.

Enter yoga. Yes, THAT thing you keep saying you’ll start doing. The practice that doesn’t require batteries, won’t give you a hangover, and is significantly cheaper than therapy (though therapy is great too, no judgment).

1. Child’s Pose: The Socially Acceptable Way to Hide

You know what’s magical about Child’s Pose? You’re literally folded up like a human burrito with your face planted on the mat, and everyone thinks you’re being “mindful” instead of having a tiny breakdown about forgetting to buy stocking stuffers.

This resting pose activates your parasympathetic nervous system—the fancy term for your body’s “chill the heck out” mode. It lowers your heart rate, reduces cortisol, and gives you a legitimate excuse to not make eye contact with anyone for 90 blissful seconds.

Pro tip: Practice this at home BEFORE your mother-in-law asks when you’re having kids. You’ll thank me later.

2. Breathing Exercises: Because Screaming Into Pillows Gets Old

Here’s where yoga gets sneaky brilliant. When your Uncle Gary starts his annual political rant over turkey, you can’t exactly flee to your car. But you CAN do some breathwork right there at the dinner table.

Try the 4-7-8 breath: inhale for 4 counts, hold for 7, exhale for 8. It’s like a reset button for your nervous system. You’ll look contemplative and centered while internally you’re just trying not to flip the gravy boat.

The beauty of mindful breathing? It works ANYWHERE. In line at the mall. During your office holiday party. While assembling toys at midnight on Christmas Eve because you definitely didn’t read the instructions that said “some assembly required.”

3. The “Less Is More” Philosophy (That Actually Makes Sense)

Yoga teaches us that we don’t need to twist ourselves into a human pretzel to reap the benefits. Five minutes of intentional movement beats zero minutes of “I’ll do an hour when I find time” (spoiler: you won’t find time).

This applies beautifully to holiday stress. You don’t need to:

Attend every party

Make cookies from scratch

Create a Pinterest-worthy tablescape

Send handwritten cards to everyone you’ve ever met

Three sun salutations in your pajamas? That counts. A two-minute meditation while your coffee brews? Also counts. Sitting quietly and not punching anyone? DEFINITELY counts.

The holidays are a marathon, not a sprint. Pace yourself. Do less, but do it with intention. Revolutionary, I know.

4. Inversions: Literally Looking at Things Differently

Legs-up-the-wall pose (Viparita Karani for you Sanskrit fans) is stupidly simple and weirdly effective. You lie on your back, stick your legs up against a wall, and just… exist.

This gentle inversion increases blood flow to your brain, reduces swelling in your feet from all that holiday shopping, and gives you a different perspective—literally. When you’re inverted, suddenly that “disaster” of slightly burnt cookies doesn’t seem quite so catastrophic.

Plus, if someone walks in and asks what you’re doing, you can say you’re “practicing yoga” which sounds way better than “avoiding responsibilities by staring at the ceiling.”

5. Mindful Movement: The Art of Being Present (Even When Present-Shopping)

Yoga isn’t just about pretzel poses on Instagram. It’s about bringing awareness to what you’re doing RIGHT NOW. Not worrying about tomorrow’s shopping list or rehashing yesterday’s awkward conversation.

Practice moving mindfully through your day. Feel your feet on the ground while walking through the grocery store. Notice your breath while wrapping presents. Pay attention to the sensation of warm tea in your hands instead of doom-scrolling through your phone.

When you’re fully present, you’re not anxiously projecting into the future (“What if they hate their gift?!”) or ruminating on the past (“Why did I say that weird thing at the party?!”). You’re just… here. And “here” is usually way less stressful than your brain wants you to believe.

The Bottom Line

Look, yoga isn’t going to magically solve all your holiday stress. Your relatives will still be weird, airports will still be chaotic, and someone will definitely ask intrusive questions about your life choices.

But yoga gives you tools. A few minutes on your mat can be the difference between snapping at your partner over tangled Christmas lights and actually laughing about it. Between feeling like you’re drowning in obligations and remembering that you’re a capable human who can say “no” sometimes.

So this holiday season, give yourself the gift of a few deep breaths. Roll out your mat (or don’t—floor works too). Do one sun salutation. Take one moment of mindfulness.

Your nervous system will thank you. Your family might thank you. And most importantly, you might actually remember to enjoy this weird, stressful, beautiful time of year.

Namaste, you stressed-out warrior. You’ve got this. 🧘‍♀️

P.S. – If all else fails, there’s always Child’s Pose. When in doubt, fold yourself in half and wait for January.