Managing Holiday-Stress Without Sacrificing Your Physical Health

Introduction

The holidays should be a time of joy and connection—but for many people they become a period of heightened stress, disrupted routines, and neglected physical health. You may feel pulled in too many directions: trying to keep up with work, family, social events, and self-care all at once. If you’re worried that the season will sabotage your fitness, recovery, or overall wellness, you’re not alone. At Unpain Clinic we see clients whose movement, sleep, posture, and pain control get derailed by holiday stress. This article walks you through how stress impacts your body, what the research says about protecting your physical health, and practical strategies—inside and outside the clinic—to stay strong during the busy months.

How holiday stress shows up in your body

When your schedule tightens, your priorities shift, and you’re juggling more demands, the holiday period often triggers behaviours that erode physical health and wellness. These might include:

Reduced physical activity or skipping your regular strength/rehab sessions
More sedentary time (traveling, long screenings, greeting-cards) and less movement
Disturbed sleep (from late nights, altered routines, emotional stress)
Increased muscle tension, neck/back stiffness, or flare-ups of old injuries
Poorer nutrition, irregular eating, more alcohol or sugary treats
Mental stress driving inflammation, increased cortisol, altered immunity

The interplay between stress, behaviour, and physical condition means holiday demands can quietly undermine your body’s resilience. The good news: research shows that even modest adjustments can protect your physical health and wellness.

What Research Says

Stress, movement & physical health

A comprehensive review found that stress is strongly associated with reduced physical activity behaviour; the more stressed people are, the less likely they are to stay active.
Surveys show more than 60% of adults say holiday stress interferes with enjoyment and self-care, and 79% report overlooking their health needs during the season.

The benefits of maintaining movement

A systematic review (“Health benefits of physical activity: a systematic review …”) reported that greater volumes of physical activity are associated with meaningful reductions in premature mortality and chronic disease risk.
A meta-analysis of randomized trials (116 studies, 6,880 adults) found that at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise produced clinically important reductions in waist circumference and body fat for adults with overweight or obesity.
Another review confirms that even moderate levels of physical activity are consistently associated with improved motor, cognitive, psychosocial and cardiometabolic health indicators.

Linking physical and mental health

Physical activity is strongly linked to improved mental health outcomes: a systematic review found that greater exercise was associated with lower incidence of depression.
Specifically for holiday periods: research from Michigan State reports that being physically active supports both mental and physical fitness during the holidays.

The key takeaway for physical health
To protect your physical health and wellness during high-stress periods like the holidays, aim to maintain movement, adequate sleep, and stress management rather than expect perfect adherence. The evidence suggests even modest activity and consistency yields benefit.

Treatment Options at Unpain Clinic

At Unpain Clinic, we view physical health holistically — meaning we treat not only the symptoms but the underlying systems and patterns that connect stress, movement, tissue quality and wellness. Below are some of the treatment modalities we use that support physical health, especially in seasons of increased stress.

Shockwave Therapy & root-cause repair

Our signature modality is true shockwave therapy (radial, focal, and Flashwave®) as outlined in our article: How Shockwave Therapy Is Transforming Chronic Pain Treatment (Dec 2 2024).
Shockwave therapy can help with tissue healing, scar or adhesion breakdown, improved circulation, and restoring mechanical integrity — all of which support the body’s capacity to withstand stress and maintain function.
In fact, in the podcast episode The Hidden Link Between Chronic Pain and Past Injuries – Solution (Ep #8), we discuss how old injuries or scar tissue can compromise function and stress-resilience, and how shockwave therapy addresses these underlying issues.

EMTT (Extracorporeal Magnetotransduction Therapy) & neuromodulation

We also apply EMTT and other neuromodulation strategies to support nervous system regulation, which becomes especially relevant during stressful holiday months when sympathetic activation/up-regulation may hinder recovery, sleep and tissue repair.

Manual therapy, physiotherapy & exercise prescription

While advanced modalities matter, the foundation remains quality movement, correct breathing, posture/movement retraining, and strength/mobility work. Our “Initial Assessment” service (a head-to-toe assessment) ensures we tailor rehab/exercise plans to your unique profile, highlighting how your physical health is influenced by posture, range of motion, HRV, movement patterns and more.

Why this matters for holiday stress

When life is busy, you’re more vulnerable to flare-ups of old injuries, increased tissue strain (from carrying gifts, leaning, sitting long hours), reduced movement, and compromised recovery. By combining regenerative treatment (shockwave, EMTT), manual/therapist-led care, and personalised exercise prescription, Unpain Clinic supports you in maintaining your physical health and resilience rather than simply patching symptoms.

Patient Experience – Case Example

“Maria”, a 45-year-old marketing executive and mother of two, typically trains 3 × week in spring/summer. Approaching the holidays she reported increasing shoulder and upper-back tension, poor sleep and skipped workouts due to travel and social commitments. She scheduled a functional assessment at Unpain Clinic.

During the assessment, we identified an old left shoulder repair 10 years ago that had produced scar tissue and inhibited scapular mobility. She had compensated during the year and fatigue had accumulated. We initiated a 4-session shockwave therapy course targeting the scar area + glute/hip mobilization (since her shoulders were over-working). We concurrently gave her a home-based movement plan: daily 10-minute shoulder-mobility + glute activation + 5-minute diaphragmatic breathing.

Over the holiday period, Maria reported:
Maintaining 80% of her usual workout time (via shorter but consistent sessions)
No shoulder flare-ups despite heavier lifting and leaning tasks
Better sleep (self-reported) and less muscle soreness
A sense of being “in control” rather than just trying to survive until January

This real-life example shows how addressing root issues + integrating resilience strategies allows you to protect your physical health rather than letting seasonal stress result in setbacks.

At-Home Guidance: Protect Your Physical Health While Busy

Here are evidence-based, clinic-aligned strategies you can implement now to support your physical health and wellness during the holiday season.

Movement & exercise
Aim for 30-minute sessions (or two × 15 minutes) of moderate-to-vigorous activity most days. Meta-analysis shows 150 minutes/week is associated with meaningful improvements in body composition and health.
Keep it realistic: For many people, maintaining some movement is far better than perfect adherence. Systematic reviews show even small activity improves health.
Include strength/mobility work: For example, glute-bridges, bodyweight squats, shoulder-band pulls — 10-15 minutes to protect key joints (hips, shoulders) especially if travel or gifts cause postural strain.
Use incidental movement: Longer walks after dinner, active play with kids, standing breaks — all count toward supporting physical health and stress mitigation.

Stress management & sleep
Prioritise sleep: Aim for 7+ hours and consistent schedule. Sleep debt undermines tissue repair and movement capacity.
Incorporate breathing or meditation: 5-10 minutes of diaphragmatic breathing or mindfulness can down-regulate stress-response and support tissue recovery.
Schedule buffer time: Build in short “pause” moments between engagements to check in with your body: Does your back feel tight? Are your glutes switched off? Stand, mobilize, breathe.

Nutrition & movement support
Focus on nutrient-dense meals: Heavy processed foods may increase inflammation and fatigue — avoid letting travel or social commitments derail basic nutrition.
Hydrate and move regularly: Sitting long hours or flights: stand every hour, walk a lap, mobilize.
Mind posture when carrying loads or leaning: Use glute activation before lifting boxes or rearranging decorations, so your hips/back share the load not just your arms/upper back.

Recovery & body cues
Listen to your body: If you feel increased aches/tension or unusually stiff after events, treat that as a red flag rather than ignore it.
Short mobility/activation breaks: 5–10 minutes of foam-rolling, band work, or glute/hip activation can reduce the risk of flare-ups.
Schedule a check-in: If you have a history of injuries or chronic pain, a quick appointment at the clinic in the holidays can prevent setbacks.

Conclusion

Maintaining your physical health and wellness through the holiday season doesn’t require perfection—it requires consistency, awareness and the right strategies. By staying active, prioritising recovery, and addressing underlying tissue or movement issues (not just symptoms) you can enter and exit the holiday period stronger, not drained. If you’ve struggled with pain, stagnation or feeling trapped in the “holiday slump,” it’s time to take a proactive step. Results may vary; always consult a healthcare provider.

Book Your Initial Assessment Now

At Unpain Clinic, we don’t just ask “Where does it hurt?” — we uncover “Why does it hurt?”
If you’ve been frustrated by the cycle of “try everything, feel nothing,” this assessment is for you. We take a whole-body approach so you leave with clarity, not more questions.

What’s Included
• Comprehensive history & goal setting
• Orthopedic & muscle testing (head-to-toe)
• Motion analysis
• Imaging decisions (if needed)
• Pain pattern mapping
• Personalized treatment roadmap
• Benefit guidance

🕑 Important Details
60 minutes, assessment only
No treatment in this visit
👩‍⚕️ Who You’ll See
A licensed Registered Physiotherapist or Chiropractor
🔜 What Happens Next
If you’re a fit, we schedule your first treatment and start executing your plan.

Why Choose Unpain Clinic
• Whole-body assessment, not symptom-chasing
• Root-cause focus, not temporary relief
• Non-invasive where possible
• No long-term upsells — just honest, effective care
🎯 Outcome
You’ll walk out knowing:
• What’s wrong
• Why it hurts
• The fastest path to fix it

Book Your Initial Assessment Now

Author: Uran Berisha, BSc PT, RMT, Shockwave Expert
Unpain Clinic