Slow Down & Tune In
How to stay grounded when the world speeds up
As we enter the holiday season — the parties, the full schedules, the expectations — our nervous systems often feel like they’re moving faster than our bodies can keep up. For many women over 40, this time of year can amplify the stress already present in perimenopause: sleep changes, mood swings, inflammation, and a general sense of being maxed out.
Ayurveda offers us a different way: a return to center.
Rather than pushing through the season, white-knuckling our way to January, Ayurveda invites us to slow down, listen inward, and nourish our energy so we don’t end up burned out before the new year even begins.
Let’s explore the Ayurvedic lens on holiday stress and some supportive ways to bring calm, joy, and true presence into this season.
Vata: When holiday chaos spins you out
Vata energy already dominates late fall + winter — cold, dry, fast, and unpredictable. Add holiday travel, disrupted routines, late nights, and overstimulation…
…and Vata goes sky-high.
How you might feel
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Scattered, anxious, overwhelmed
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Trouble sleeping
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Digestive changes (constipation, bloating)
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Difficulty finishing tasks
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Feeling “unrooted”
Vata-soothing practices
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Keep a predictable morning rhythm
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Prioritize warm, grounding meals (think soups + stews)
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Self-massage with warm oil before bedtime
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Slow, steady strength movement or yin instead of high-intensity cardio
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Say “no” to at least one obligation each week
Vata mantra: Less chaos. More coziness.
🔥 Pitta: When pressure steals the joy
Pitta women often love hosting, organizing, and making everything perfect… Until that inner pressure-cooker hits boiling.
How you might feel
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Irritable or easily frustrated
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Overheated or inflamed — physically or emotionally
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Holding high expectations for yourself + others
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Pushing through fatigue
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Feeling like there’s “never enough time”
Pitta-soothing practices
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Swap intense workouts for cooling strength
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Delegate or simplify holiday plans (store-bought counts!)
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Create non-negotiable downtime
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Add joy for its own sake — not productivity
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Cooling teas, mint, coriander, aloe
Pitta mantra: Let it be enough.
🌏 Kapha: When comfort becomes a cocoon
Kapha shines during this season — cozy, nurturing energy is needed. But too much Kapha can create stagnation and heaviness.
How you might feel
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Low mood or motivation
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Over-comforting with food or alcohol
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Wanting to stay home all the time
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Feeling foggy or stuck
Kapha-supportive practices
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Get outside daily, even for 10 minutes
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Add a little invigorating movement to your morning
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Seek connection that feels nourishing, not draining
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Favor spices like ginger, cinnamon, black pepper
Kapha mantra: Keep the heart open.
The deeper Ayurvedic invitation
Holiday stress isn’t only about our schedules
it’s about how disconnected we become from ourselves.
Ayurveda calls us back to:
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rhythm instead of rush
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nourishment instead of numbness
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presence instead of perfection
You are allowed to slow down.
You are allowed to choose ease.
You are allowed to celebrate the season without sacrificing your wellbeing.
Especially in perimenopause, your body is already navigating enough change it deserves your gentleness.
5 Simple Ayurvedic Rituals for Holiday Ease
1️⃣ Warm your meals + beverages to support digestion and calm Vata
2️⃣ Guard your bedtime like a gift to your future self
3️⃣ Hydrate with warm water (cold drinks disrupt digestive fire)
4️⃣ Walk after meals — even 5 minutes helps mood + metabolism
5️⃣ Start mornings screen-free to regulate cortisol + nervous system
Tiny shifts. Big impact.
If your body has been whispering “slow down”…
…Ayurveda can help you actually listen.
If you're craving a guided reset — space to exhale, soften, and reconnect — I’d love to support you.
🌿 Ayurveda Holiday Survival Workshop
Date: December 11 @ 7:30pm CST
Includes a restorative 15-minute Yoga Nidra to send you into the season nourished and grounded.
In this one-hour workshop, you’ll learn:
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How to support your unique dosha during holiday stress
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What to eat (and how to indulge) without the aftermath
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Nervous system-first rituals for sleep, digestion, and mood
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Practices to help you feel more present and less pressured
You’ll also receive a Holiday Survival Checklist to print + keep handy all season long.
✨ Join us and enter the holidays feeling supported instead of depleted.
Weekly Challenge
Journal about what you want this coming holiday season to look and feel like in your body?
view + leave comments . . .