12 Common Cortisol Triggers – The Festive Season Edition
The festive season is often full of joy, connection, and celebration, but this time of year can also place hidden demands on your body and mind. The rush to finish things before the year’s end, extra social engagements, financial pressures, and if you celebrate Christmas or have December birthdays, gift giving and celebrations can add another layer of stress.
Cortisol plays a central role in your body’s stress response.
Released by the adrenal glands, Cortisol helps regulate energy, blood sugar, inflammation, immune function, and your sleep-wake cycle. In healthy amounts, it’s essential for daily function. But when stress is frequent or prolonged, especially without time to recover, cortisol can remain elevated for longer than it should.
Over time, consistently high cortisol levels can be linked to:
Fatigue or burnout
Sleep disturbances
Anxiety or low mood
Hormonal imbalance
Blood sugar dysregulation or abdominal weight gain
Suppressed immune function
Digestive symptoms
Our summer festive season can be enjoyable, and often is! But it can also come with an increase in social plans, responsibilities, and physical or emotional stressors. Here are 12 common cortisol triggers we see over the Christmas and New Year period, especially here in Perth, and simple ways to reduce their impact:
1. Overcommitting
Too many social plans can drain your energy and push you into survival mode.
What helps: Schedule space. Leave room in your calendar for rest and low-stimulation time.
2. Too Much Caffeine
Coffee, especially on an empty stomach, can overstimulate the nervous system and increase cortisol.
What helps: Wait and hydrate. Delay your morning coffee by 90 minutes and start your day with water to support your natural cortisol rhythm.
3. Heat Stress & Sunburn
Perth’s extreme summer temperatures and UV exposure place physical stress on the body, triggering inflammation and raising cortisol.
What helps: Stay cool + hydrated. Use electrolytes, seek shade during peak hours, and soothe skin with aloe or calendula if needed.
4. Alcohol Overload
Alcohol disrupts blood sugar regulation, sleep, and liver detoxification, all of which can keep cortisol elevated.
What helps: Know your limits. Stick to 1–2 drinks with food, hydrate between drinks, and allow time to rest and recover the next day.
5. Late Nights
Sleep deprivation is one of the fastest ways to disrupt cortisol balance.
What helps: Prioritise wind-down time. Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep, dim lights in the evening, and reduce screen exposure after 9pm.
6. Blood Sugar Spikes
Sugary treats can lead to rapid blood sugar highs and crashes, which activate the stress response.
What helps: Balance your plate. Pair sweets with protein or healthy fats to slow glucose absorption and support energy stability.
7. Family Tension
Unresolved emotional dynamics can trigger a physiological stress response.
What helps: Breathe or walk it off. A few deep breaths or 10 minutes of movement can help regulate your nervous system.
8. Shopping Centre Overload
Noise, crowds, and decision fatigue can overstimulate your senses and raise cortisol.
What helps: Shop mindfully. Go early, take a list, wear comfortable clothes, and take breaks to reset your nervous system.
9. Travel Stress
Packing, airports, and even last-minute logistics for local travel or dealing with traffic during busy times can increase anxiety and cortisol.
What helps: Prepare in advance. Use checklists, allow buffer time, and plan transitions to avoid unnecessary pressure.
10. Hosting or Gifting Pressure
Trying to create a “perfect” experience can lead to overwhelm and mental fatigue.
What helps: Delegate and simplify. Share responsibilities and choose ease over impressing others, most people are happy to contribute when coming to your event, and remember, the best present is your presence.
11. Not Enough Alone Time
Constant social engagement can deplete energy, especially for introverts or highly sensitive nervous systems.
What helps: Take 10 minutes for you. A quiet moment in nature or a calming drink alone can help bring your body back into balance.
12. Financial Pressure
Overspending or tight budgets over the break can activate the brain’s survival centres and increase stress hormones.
What helps: Ground your numbers. Create a plan that works for you, and remember that presence is more meaningful than presents.
Support Your System This Summer
The holidays don’t have to feel overwhelming and with the right approach and support, shifting your perspective when needed and changing a few simple habits, you can support your nervous system and reduce the impact of stress on your body.
If you’re feeling depleted, anxious, or out of rhythm, even after the festive season, our team at PNMC is here to help. From naturopathy and acupuncture to counselling and IV nutrient therapy, we support your whole system so you can feel your best, naturally.
Book an appointment today or call us in 08 9328 9233 to find out who on our team is the best fit for your current needs.