Why Everyone Gets Sick During the Holidays — and How to Stay Healthy Naturally

The holidays are supposed to be filled with joy, family, and celebration — but let’s be honest: they can also be incredibly stressful. Between traveling, shopping, social events, family dynamics, financial strain, and disrupted routines, it’s easy to feel like you’re running on empty by the time the new year arrives.

While a little stress is normal, the constant rush of the holiday season can take a serious toll on your body. Understanding how stress actually affects your nervous system — and how to keep it in balance — can make the difference between barely surviving the holidays and actually enjoying them.

What Stress Really Does to Your Body

When you feel stressed, your body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol to help you deal with whatever’s in front of you. This activates your body’s fight-or-flight response, a built-in survival mechanism designed to protect you in moments of danger.

In short bursts, stress isn’t bad. But when your nervous system stays stuck in that mode — especially for weeks at a time during the holidays — your body never gets the signal to return to rest, recover, and heal. Over time, this can lead to:

• Muscle tension and tightness in your neck, shoulders, and back

• Headaches or jaw clenching

• Trouble sleeping or feeling unrested

• Digestive problems or bloating

• Low energy and irritability

• Weakened immune function

Your nervous system controls every function in your body. When it’s constantly on high alert, your body has to divert energy away from things like digestion, healing, and immunity — which is exactly why so many people feel run down or get sick this time of year.

Why Everyone Seems to Get Sick During the Holidays

You’ve probably noticed it — as soon as Thanksgiving passes, it seems like everyone around you starts catching a cold or fighting off something. There’s actually a reason for that.

The combination of stress, lack of rest, and exposure to new environments can temporarily weaken your immune defenses. Here’s what’s really going on behind the scenes:

1. Stress hormones suppress your immune system.
   Cortisol and adrenaline, when elevated for too long, reduce your body’s ability to produce the white blood cells that fight off bacteria and viruses. So while you’re running from task to task, your immune system is essentially working with the brakes on.

2. Poor sleep and sugar intake lower resilience.
   Late nights, holiday treats, and alcohol can interfere with deep sleep and blood sugar balance — both of which your body relies on to repair and defend itself.

3. Travel and gatherings increase exposure.
   Airports, airplanes, parties, and family gatherings mean you’re sharing close space (and germs) with more people than usual.

4. The nervous system is overloaded.
   When your brain and body are under chronic stress, they lose some of their adaptability. Your immune system becomes less responsive, making you more vulnerable to whatever you’re exposed to.

This is why you might “catch” something right after a busy week or when you finally slow down. It’s not bad luck — it’s your body saying it’s time to reset.

Why Chiropractic Care Is So Powerful During Stressful Seasons

Most people think of chiropractic care as something for back or neck pain, but at its core, chiropractic is about optimizing nervous system function.

Your spine protects your spinal cord — the communication highway between your brain and the rest of your body. When the spine is under tension or misaligned (what chiropractors call a subluxation), it can interfere with how well your nervous system communicates.

That means your body can’t adapt to stress as effectively. You might feel more fatigued, have trouble sleeping, or get sick more easily — even if you’re eating well and exercising.

Gentle, specific chiropractic adjustments help restore balance and motion to the spine, reducing interference and improving nervous system function. When your nervous system is working properly, your body can:

• Adapt more easily to stress

• Regulate sleep and digestion better

• Maintain stronger immune defenses

• Recover faster when exposed to illness

Many practice members at Kingdom Chiropractic notice that during regular care, they handle busy seasons with more calm, fewer headaches, and better energy — and often stay healthier through the winter.

Three Types of Holiday Stress (and How They Add Up)

One of the reasons the holiday season hits hard is that it’s not just one type of stress — it’s three:

1. Emotional Stress
   Family expectations, financial pressure, grief, or even the desire for everything to be “perfect.”

2. Physical Stress
   Traveling, lifting luggage, sitting for long hours, wrapping gifts, or even sleeping in different beds.

3. Chemical Stress
   More sugar, caffeine, alcohol, processed foods, and less hydration.

Your body doesn’t separate these — it experiences them all as stress. That’s why the combination can feel overwhelming. The key isn’t to avoid stress completely (that’s impossible), but to support your body so it can handle it better.

Natural Ways to Stay Balanced and Stress-Resilient

In addition to regular chiropractic adjustments, here are a few practical ways to keep your body and mind strong through the season:

1. Move every day. Even 15–20 minutes of walking or stretching can lower cortisol and improve circulation.

2. Breathe deeply. Take 5 slow belly breaths when you feel tense — it helps shift your nervous system out of fight-or-flight mode.

3. Stay hydrated. Dehydration can amplify fatigue and headaches. Aim to drink half your body weight (in ounces) daily.

4. Prioritize rest. A consistent sleep schedule is one of the best immune boosters.

5. Fuel wisely. Enjoy the treats, but balance them with real, nourishing foods — especially protein, healthy fats, and veggies.

6. Protect your peace. You don’t have to attend every event or say yes to every request. Boundaries protect your health.

7. Schedule your adjustments. Regular chiropractic care helps keep your nervous system adaptable so your body can respond better to stress.

Keep Your Nervous System in Check This Holiday Season

Stress may be part of life — but when your nervous system is functioning at its best, your body can adapt, heal, and thrive through it.

This holiday season, give yourself the gift of health and calm. Schedule your holiday tune-up at Kingdom Chiropractic to help your body handle stress better, boost your immune system, and enjoy the season with more energy and ease.

Your body was designed to handle life — it just needs the right support.