Holiday Stress Isn’t Just Mental — It’s Neurological. Here’s What You Can Do.

🧠 The Science of Stress, Mood, and Tonal Chiropractic

The holidays tend to amplify everything — the good and the hard. More people in the house, more conversations, more pressure, more expectations. For many, this season stirs up stress, old patterns, and even symptoms of depression that tend to flare when routines get disrupted.

What most people don’t realize is that these experiences aren’t just “in your head.” They’re happening in your nervous system — the master regulator of your mood, your sleep, your digestion, your pain levels, and even the way you interact with the people you love.

And because of that, this time of year is when nervous-system care matters most.

Why Your Nervous System Feels “Louder” During the Holidays

When you’re under chronic stress (even good stress), the body tends to shift into a more sympathetic-dominant state: the fight-or-flight mode. This can look like:

• Feeling more reactive

• Struggling to stay patient

• Brain fog

• Tension patterns

• Or feeling “flat,” numb, or shut down (which is the other side of dysregulation)

This shift in the nervous system has been well-documented. Studies have shown that spinal and cervical mobilization can influence autonomic function, lowering cortisol and improving heart-rate variability — markers of more balanced stress response. One 2023 study even found that a single session reduced salivary cortisol within 30 minutes.

This means your system isn't just stressed — it may be stuck in a loop of overactivation.

And this is exactly where tonal chiropractic enters the conversation.

Tonal Chiropractic and Emotional Regulation

Unlike force-based techniques, tonal work focuses on how the brain, spinal cord, and connective tissues hold patterns of tension — patterns that influence your mood, your energy, your clarity, and the way you respond to the world around you.

Emerging neuroscience research has shown that adjustments can change the way the brain processes pain and stress. In one EEG study, participants showed measurable changes in brain activity after an adjustment, especially in areas involved in emotional regulation.

Another integrative review published in 2024 found that chiropractic care may influence the neuroendocrine-immune system — the triad that governs stress resilience, sleep, immune function, and emotional stability.

And the field of tonal chiropractic, specifically, has contributed some of the most interesting findings.

Jay Holder’s Research on Depression, Addiction & Mood

Dr. Jay Holder — one of the leaders in tonal, neurological chiropractic — has published work for over two decades on how chiropractic adjustments can influence dopamine, serotonin, and autonomic balance.

Some key findings from his research and related work include:

• Improvements in depressive symptoms in individuals receiving chiropractic care as part of addiction or recovery programs

• Reductions in anxiety and stress-related behaviors when the nervous system shifts out of sympathetic dominance

• Better emotional regulation, especially in people experiencing chronic stress or withdrawal

• Increased parasympathetic tone, which supports a calmer, more grounded state

Holder’s research consistently points to one central idea:
When you restore tone and coherence in the nervous system, you restore access to higher emotional states.

This is why patients often describe feeling lighter, clearer, or more like themselves again — even when they originally sought care for physical pain.

Why This Matters for the Holidays

When your nervous system is more regulated, everything gets easier:

• You’re less reactive with your partner or kids

• Stressful situations feel more manageable

• You recover from conflict faster

• You can engage more genuinely with family

• You feel more present, grounded, and emotionally available

For people who struggle with depression, the holidays often make symptoms worse.
Nervous-system care doesn’t replace therapy or medication — but research and clinical experience show that tonal chiropractic can support the parts of the brain and body involved in mood, resilience, and emotional healing.

It gives you more capacity.
It gives you more room inside your body.
It makes ease feel possible again.

A Gentle Invitation

If this season feels heavier than you want it to feel…
If you’re craving calm, clarity, steadiness, and a healthier way to move through family dynamics…
If you want to feel more grounded in your own skin…

Tonal chiropractic may help open that space.

And if you’re in Broward or Palm Beach County, I’d be honored to support you.