How to End the Year Without Burning Out
December often arrives quietly heavy. ❄️
The calendar fills 📅, sleep shortens 😴⬇️, sugar increases 🍬, emotions surface 💭, and somehow we’re expected to finish strong 💪. Many people tell me this time of year makes their anxiety worse 😟, their focus harder 🧠💨, their mood lower 📉—and they worry something is “wrong” with them.
Often, nothing is broken. 💛
Very often, the nervous system is simply overloaded ⚡🫠.
Why the Nervous System Matters 🧠⚖️
From an integrative psychiatry perspective, mental health is never just “in the mind.”
Your nervous system is shaped by:
• sleep (or lack of it) 😴
• nutrition and blood sugar stability 🥗🩸
• micronutrients (like magnesium, iron, omega-3s, Vitamin D) 💊
• light exposure and circadian rhythm ☀️🌙
• stress, grief, and unresolved emotion 🌊
• community, meaning, and rest 🤝💬🛌
When these inputs are strained long enough, the brain adapts by staying on high alert 🚨.
That can look like:
• anxiety 😰
• irritability 😠
• poor focus 🧠⬇️
• low motivation 🪫
• emotional overwhelm 🌪️
• exhaustion mislabeled as “depression” or “ADHD” 🏷️
In December, this is especially common 🎄❄️.
You’re Not Failing—You’re Fatigued 🤍
Our culture teaches us to push through 🚀, optimize 📈, and override limits 🚧.
But biology doesn’t respond to pressure—it responds to support 🌱.
A regulated nervous system requires:
• predictable rhythms ⏰
• adequate nourishment 🍲
• periods of rest 🛌
• light and movement 🚶♀️☀️
• emotional safety 🫂
• connection 💞
Rest is not indulgence. ✋
Rest is treatment. 🩺✨
Gentle Ways to Support Your Nervous System Right Now
This is not the season for major overhauls. Think small, steady, supportive.
🌙 1. Protect Sleep Like It’s Medicine
- Aim for consistency more than perfection
- Dim lights earlier in the evening
- Avoid “revenge bedtime procrastination” when possible
☀️ 2. Get Morning Light
- 10–15 minutes of outdoor light helps regulate cortisol and mood
- Even cloudy winter light counts
🥗 3. Stabilize Blood Sugar
- Eat protein + fat with carbohydrates
- Avoid skipping meals during busy days (this alone can reduce anxiety)
🧍♀️ 4. Gentle Movement
- Walks > workouts if you’re depleted
- Movement tells the brain you are safe
🤍 5. Lower the Bar
- Not everything needs to be meaningful, magical, or perfect
- Your nervous system thrives on realism
💊 Supplement Spotlight: Nervous System Support
(Always personalize dosing with your provider—this is educational, not prescriptive.)
✨ Magnesium Glycinate
- Supports relaxation, sleep, and muscle tension
- Often depleted by chronic stress
- A foundational calming nutrient
🐟 Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA/DHA)
- Essential for brain cell membranes
- Supports mood regulation and cognitive flexibility
- Especially helpful during high-stress seasons
☀️ Vitamin D
- Plays a role in serotonin production
- Levels often drop in winter months
- Deficiency can mimic depression and fatigue
🧠 B-Complex (when indicated)
- Supports energy metabolism and neurotransmitter synthesis
- Particularly helpful if stress is high or diet is inconsistent
(For patients: supplements and testing are available through Fullscript and Dr. Stahl’s office with personalized guidance.)
Ending the Year Differently
What if closing the year isn’t about fixing yourself—but supporting yourself?
What if January goals start with:
- better sleep
- steadier nourishment
- a calmer nervous system
- fewer labels and more listening
Healing often begins with slowing down enough to hear what your body has been saying all along.
As the year comes to a close, remember that your capacity is not a moral issue—it’s a biological one 🧠💛. Listening to your nervous system now is an act of wisdom, not weakness. When you meet yourself with support instead of pressure, you create the conditions for real resilience to grow 🌱✨.
Continue to learn true wellness through following me on my Facebook page for Cinco Ranch Psychiatry. https://www.facebook.com/CincoRanchPsychiatry/
To purchase quality supplements mentioned in this article at a 15% discount, click here.