December has its own beauty — soft lights against long nights, shared tables, small celebrations. But it is also a high-sensory month. Shops are bright and crowded, inboxes fill, social expectations rise, and days seem to compress. Even when the season feels joyful, the constant stimulation can leave the nervous system running slightly too “fast.”
This piece is an invitation to move through December with steadiness — to create small boundaries, soften the pace where you can, and lean on gentle herbal allies that help the body settle amidst the noise.
Why the Festive Season Feels Intense: A Quick Look at the Nervous System
Our nervous system constantly balances two branches: the sympathetic (alert, action-oriented) and the parasympathetic (rest, digestion, repair). High sensory load — bright lights, crowds, multitasking, emotional demands — naturally pushes us toward sympathetic activation.
Short bursts of this response are normal. The challenge arises when stimulation becomes continuous, leaving less space for parasympathetic recovery.
Winter adds another layer. Reduced daylight, disrupted routines, and long evenings affect circadian rhythms and hormonal balance. For some people, these seasonal changes also bring a more persistent dip in mood and energy. If that feels familiar, you may appreciate our companion blog on Seasonal Affective Disorder and herbal support through the darker months, which explores how light, rhythm, and gentle botanicals can support emotional steadiness in winter.
None of this is pathological — it is simply physiology, responding to the season. The key is to introduce pockets of regulation throughout the day.
This is where herbs and grounding rituals can help.
Herbal Allies for Overstimulation
These herbs all have long traditions of use for calming the mind, easing tension, or supporting emotional steadiness — with a growing body of scientific evidence behind them.
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Lemon balm is widely used for emotional tension, restlessness, and mild anxiety. Small clinical trials suggest it interacts with GABA pathways, gently easing overstimulation and supporting clearer cognitive function under stress (Cases et al., 2011). Its bright, citrusy aroma helps lift low winter energy, making it ideal for afternoons or early evenings.
You’ll find lemon balm in Zen Maitri’s Balance Tea and Deep Sleep Tea.
Tulsi (Holy Basil, Ocimum sanctum)
Tulsi supports emotional steadiness when the mind feels pulled in many directions. Research points to its adaptogenic actions, helping reduce perceived stress and supporting cognitive resilience (Jamshidi & Cohen, 2017). Its warm aroma creates an immediate sense of grounding — a quiet moment of calm in a busy day.
Tulsi is a cornerstone herb in our Balance Tea.
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)
Traditionally used for circular thoughts, evening overactivity, and restlessness, passionflower has been shown to modulate GABAergic pathways, supporting the transition out of “mental overdrive” (Akhondzadeh et al., 2001). It is particularly helpful when sensory overload lingers into the night.
It appears in our Deep Sleep Tea and Deep Sleep Tincture, where it pairs well with valerian and ashwagandha.
Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)
A classic Western herb for tension, worry, and “tired but wired” states. Skullcap has been used for generations to calm the body and mind when the nervous system feels overstretched. It complements passionflower in our Deep Sleep Tea.
Simple Rituals for Nervous System Steadiness
1. Slow Aromatic Teas in the “In-Between” Moments
Most December stress happens in transitions — between work and social plans, between errands and home, between conversations. A warm herbal tea creates a small protective buffer. Choose a blend with lemon balm, tulsi, or rose (like our Balance Tea) to help the body recalibrate between moments. You can also pair a calming tea with a single deep inhale of Grounding Oil on your palms or pulse points, offering a quick sensory cue that helps the system downshift.
2. A Restorative Evening Wind-Down
Even a short ritual shifts the body toward parasympathetic rest. Dim the lights, step away from screens, and prepare a warm herbal tea. Adding our Sleep Better Pillow Mist, taking a warm bath with Unwind Bath Salts, or adding a few drops of our Unwind Essential Oil Blend to a diffuser, provides sensory cues that the day is softening. This is especially useful when evenings feel crowded with thoughts.
3. A Few Minutes of Winter Daylight
Daylight is one of the nervous system’s strongest regulators. Even a brief walk outdoors — or simply standing outside with a warm drink — helps stabilise circadian rhythms and counter the effects of artificial light (Van Someren, 2000).
4. Gentle, Grounding Touchpoints
A warm compress on the chest, steady nasal breathing, or slow stretching before bed all help the nervous system shift out of “alert mode.” For moments of emotional heaviness or overstimulation, our Heal the Heart Oil can be used on the sternum or inner wrists to provide a steadying, comforting presence. This small touchpoint can help interrupt the build-up of stress and bring you back into your body.
Soft Boundaries for a Softer Month
Supporting the nervous system in December isn’t about withdrawing from the world — it’s about soft boundaries. These can be as simple as:
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pausing for five mindful breaths before walking into a crowded room
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choosing one quiet evening each week
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drinking some relaxing herbal tea before a busy day (such as our Balance Tea)
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stepping outside for winter daylight
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taking a grounding tincture before bed (our Deep Sleep Tincture, for example)
Herbs don’t override the season — they help us move with it more gently, with more presence, and with a little more internal quiet.
References
Akhondzadeh, S., Naghavi, H. R., Vazirian, M., Shayeganpour, A., Rashidi, H., & Khani, M. (2001). Passionflower in the treatment of generalized anxiety: A pilot double-blind randomized controlled trial with oxazepam. Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 26(5), 363–367. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2710.2001.00367.x
Cases, J., Ibarra, A., Feuillère, N., Roller, M., & Sukkar, S. G. (2011). Pilot trial of Melissa officinalis L. leaf extract in the treatment of volunteers suffering from mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances. Medical Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, 4(3), 211–218. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12349-010-0045-4
Jamshidi, N., & Cohen, M. M. (2017). The clinical efficacy and safety of tulsi in humans: A systematic review of the literature. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2017, Article 9217567. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/9217567
Van Someren, E. J. (2000). More than a marker: Interaction between the circadian regulation of temperature and sleep, age-related changes, and treatment possibilities. Chronobiology International, 17(3), 313–354. https://doi.org/10.1081/CBI-100101050
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