How to Handle Holiday Stress When You Live With Pelvic Pain

This time of year can be quite… stressful. Holiday stress and pelvic pain often go hand in hand, especially during a season filled with expectations, obligations, and emotional pressure.

There’s last-minute gift shopping, family gatherings, driving from place to place, and the pressure of making sure everyone is happy. There’s often a lot at stake during Christmas.

And because the pelvic floor is one of the first areas of the body to respond to stress, the last month of the year can sometimes bring more tension and more pain.

If you’re noticing an increase in pelvic pain right now, know this: you’re not doing anything wrong. This is your nervous system responding to what’s happening around you. And with a bit of awareness and support, there are ways to move through this season with more ease.

Why Holiday Stress Can Increase Pelvic Pain

When we go through stressful period of our lives, the nervous system may shift into fight/flight mode. This is a protective response - but it can often come with physical symptoms.

Some signs your nervous system may be feeling overwhelmed include:

• increased pelvic tension or pain

• jaw clenching

• fist clenching

• shallow breathing

• digestive changes

• irritability or shutdown

• flare-ups that seem to happen “for no reason”

When we experience stress, our breath often changes. We may find it hard to take deep breaths - or we may not even notice that we’re breathing shallowly. And that, in itself, can add even more stress to the body.

Your breath is deeply connected to your pelvic floor. When breathing becomes shallow, the pelvic floor often follows suit by holding and tightening.

Gentle Ways to Support Your Body During the Holidays

Regulate Before You Celebrate

Please - take 10 minutes for you. Just 10.

We often rush around trying to make everything perfect before family arrives, but You are the most important person to you. And imagine how much more enjoyable things could be - for you and for everyone around you - if you were more regulated.

Sit on the floor or in a chair. Feel the ground beneath your sitz bones. Let yourself arrive.

Take three breaths:

• Inhale through the nose

• Exhale with a sigh… let it go
  

If you’d like more guidance during the holidays, the Pelvic Health Yoga Membership offers practices to help regulate your nervous system and support your pelvis - and keep an eye out for our upcoming holiday podcast episode, too (there may be a gift in there for you).

You’re Allowed to Say No (or Not Yet)

You don't have to do anything you don't want to - I'm gonna repeat that

You don't have to do anything you don't want to

That includes hugging someone you don't want to hug, going to visit someone you don't want to visit.

You can do shorter visits, leave early, skip events. This is Your Christmas, how do you want to spend it? Honour your boundaries, and others will follow.

Keep Your Body Moving Gently

I am not saying you need to hit the gym this week - but gentle movement matters. Your pelvis likes movement, even on the days when you might experience pain.

I’ve seen it again and again: students who don’t feel like coming to class because they’re in pain often feel less pain after moving - or realize just how much they were holding once they begin.

Try:

• a deep yogi squat while cooking

• gentle pelvic tilts while wrapping gifts

• a few movements from one of my reels on Instagram or class you enjoy

And just as important: if you’re resting, let yourself rest without guilt.

Hydration, Warmth & Comfort Matter

Heat Use your heating pad as much as needed! If your body is aching it is asking for attention, give it to it.

Water Hydration supports a happy pelvis. If you're enjoying some alcoholic beverages this season, staying on top of your water intake matters even more.

Cozy clothes

Loose-fitting, comfortable clothing can make a huge difference. Let your body soften.

Rest Is Not a Reward

You have some time off - take a nap, lie down, do nothing, watch Christmas movies all day, WATCH STRANGER THINGS.

You're allowed to rest. This is the darkest time of the year—a natural time for hibernation and restoration.

A Softer Way to Move Through the Holidays

You don't need to be perfect throughout the holidays, you're allowed to feel your feelings. Doing this also helps with any pain or tension in the body (everything is connected). And if you continue to support yourself for this next little bit you're gonna feel so much better, and stronger, moving into the new year.

Free Pelvic Relief Bingo Card

If the holidays feel overwhelming, I created a free Pelvic Relief Bingo Card - a gentle, no-pressure way to support your pelvis and nervous system during this season. Could you even turn it into a fun game for the whole family this week? Looking at the bingo card, I realize it’s actually a beautiful blueprint for the holidays- offering support on every level: physical, emotional, and nervous-system care.

Get yours here! The best part? You get a new Pelvic Relief Bingo card in the new year!

Stay cozy, Penny