The Ultimate Stretches for Holiday Stress Relief

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Holidays Have You Stressed?

Many people feel tense after Thanksgiving. Travel, long meals, and long periods of sitting increase stiffness. These changes often show up in your hips, back, and shoulders. Stretches for stress help you reset your body and your routine.

Our bodies respond well to slow and steady movements. Stretching and stress relief work together to lower muscle tension and support your joints with simple movements. You only need a few minutes to ease tight areas. A short session of breathing and gentle motion helps you reconnect with your body and feel more comfortable.

Why You Feel Tight

• Long periods of sitting lower circulation.
• Cold weather increases stiffness.
• Large meals slow digestion.
• Changes in sleep raise stress levels.

A brief reset can go a long way to release tension in hips, back, shoulders, and neck.

Step One: Slow Breathing

Sit or stand and take slow breaths. Inhale through your nose. Exhale through your mouth. Do this for two minutes. Slow breathing prepares your body for stretching exercises to relieve stress.

Step Two: Joint Warm Up

Movement really is medicine. Start by warming up your joints in simple ways. Moving your joints in a circular pattern helps to assist the circulation of synovial fluid which is so beneficial for reducing stiffness and improving mobility.
• Circle your ankles.
• Circle your hips.
• Circle your shoulders.
• Circle your neck.

Ten slow circles in each direction support better range of motion.

Step Three: Stretches for Stress Relief

Gentle stretching lowers tension in your hips, back, and shoulders. This helps your nervous system settle. It also supports stability for women after menopause. Below is one of my favorite full body gentle movement routines. This session targets common tension areas including the hips, upper back, shoulders, and neck. Practice this short 15 minute routine whenever you need time for yourself.

Use this routine when you wake up or before bed. These stretching exercises to relieve stress work well in short sessions. You support your muscles without strain.

Step Four: Set One Intention

Use a clear statement to guide your week. Don’t stress too much over it, just allow the intention to bubble up within you.
• I support my body without guilt.
• I take radical rest when needed.
• I am enough just as I am.

Consistent stretching and stress management improve comfort and balance. These actions help you feel grounded as you move into December and the holiday season. Daily personal time supports your body and your focus. If the short stretch video helped you, return to it often and keep tension and stress low through the holidays.

Looking Toward January 2026

If you’d like support putting this into practice safely, I offer osteoporosis-safe strength and balance training inside my app. The program follows a clear, progressive path with guided workouts designed to support bone health, improve stability, and help you build confidence in your body—without high-risk or high-impact movements. It’s an option for those who want more than information and are ready for structured, expert guidance.

train with me!