If You Loved Oh. What. Fun., Read This: An RN’s Guide to Holiday Stress, Hormones & Real Rest

The holiday season has a way of wrapping us in equal parts magic and chaos.
The twinkle lights, the cinnamon-spiced air, the rush of year-end deadlines… it’s a lot for a nervous system that’s already been doing heavy lifting all year.

If you’re a high-achieving woman in healthcare or business, December often becomes a month of performance, not presence.
We hustle through gift lists, overextend emotionally, reunite with family dynamics we’ve outgrown, and call it “tradition.”

But here’s the truth your physiology already knows:

This season was never meant to be a marathon.
It was meant to be a soft landing.

A reset.
A recalibration.
A return to connection—with yourself and with the people who matter.

So this year?
We’re doing it differently.
We’re choosing rituals that nourish, foods that comfort and support your metabolism, and rhythms that allow your hormones to finally unclench.

Holiday Reality Check: Why Oh. What. Fun. Hits So Close to Home for High-Achieving Women

If you’ve watched Oh. What. Fun. yet (my new holiday favorite), you already know:
It’s not just a Christmas comedy — it’s a mirror held up to the mental load women carry in December.

The main character does what so many high-achieving women do without thinking:

✔️ manages everyone’s emotions
✔️ organizes every detail
✔️ creates the magic and smooths over the mess
✔️ anticipates everyone’s needs
✔️ absorbs the pressure so no one else has to

It’s funny… but it’s also painfully accurate.

Because here’s the truth:
Women don’t burn out during the holidays because they’re “too sensitive.”
We burn out because we’re doing the physical, emotional, and invisible labor of an entire village — often while working full-time careers.

And your physiology feels that load.

• Cortisol ramps up.

• Sleep gets lighter.

• Blood sugar gets more reactive.

• Cravings increase.

• The “holiday edge” shows up in your mood and energy.

This is exactly why so many women tell me:
“I love Christmas… but I’m exhausted before it even begins.”

The movie captures something important:
Women are the heartbeat of the season — but we’re not meant to do it at the expense of our own nervous systems.

December isn’t supposed to break you.
It’s supposed to bring you back to yourself.

So this season, consider this your RN-approved permission slip to:
✨ simplify
✨ delegate
✨ buy store-bought when needed
✨ say no without apology
✨ choose presence over perfection

And yes — to bake cookies because you want to, not because you’re performing holiday competence for everyone else.

The Science of Resting in December (Why Your Hormones Thank You for Slowing Down)

Your body doesn’t follow a calendar — it follows physiology.

During winter, your system naturally shifts toward:

1. Lower cortisol tolerance

Your brain wants stability, not chaos.
Small rituals (slow mornings, magnesium tea, 10-minute walks) stabilize cortisol more effectively than any strict diet or “new routine.”

2. Increased carbohydrate sensitivity

Not in a bad way — your body simply wants:
✔ grounding foods
✔ balanced treats
✔ slower energy

This is why certain holiday cookies actually work with your physiology when we add fiber, protein, and healthy fats.

3. A craving for connection

Connection boosts oxytocin, which lowers cortisol.
Holiday traditions aren’t frivolous — they are nervous system medicine.

If this resonates, you’ll also love ➡️ last month’s blog on why your body actually needs a seasonal slowdown — and how November’s rest rhythm sets the foundation for navigating December with more energy and less stress.

How Slowing Down Recalibrates Your Hormones

Intentional slowing isn’t stopping. It’s shifting gears.
It’s allowing your body to exit survival mode long enough to repair.

When you intentionally slow down, you activate:
✔️ lower cortisol
✔️ more stable blood sugar
✔️ better thyroid conversion
✔️ smoother estrogen + progesterone balance
✔️ deeper sleep
✔️ calmer nervous system pathways
✔️ improved emotional regulation

This is the biology of metabolic resilience.
Not hustling through the holidays — but healing through them.

Almond-Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies — a cozy holiday favorite and one of my go-to hormone-friendly treats.

My RN-Approved Holiday Cookie Picks (Metabolic + Hormone Friendly)

These two cookies support your physiology and your joy — a win-win. 

1. Almond-Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies 

Original recipe by: The Pioneer Woman

Why These Support Hormones & Metabolic Stability

These cookies are naturally gluten-free, rich in healthy fats, and higher in fiber thanks to almond flour. This creates a slower rise in blood sugar — which is especially supportive for women in perimenopause or navigating stress-driven cravings.

Ingredients

• 2 cups almond flour

• ¼ cup softened butter or coconut oil

• 3 tbsp maple syrup or honey

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ¼ tsp almond extract (optional but enhances flavor)

• 1–2 pinches of sea salt

• Raspberry jam (low-sugar or homemade for best blood sugar support)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.

2. In a bowl, combine almond flour, softened butter/oil, sweetener, vanilla, almond extract, and salt until a soft dough forms.

3. Roll dough into small balls (about 1 inch). Place on the baking sheet.

4. Use your thumb or a small spoon to press an indent into each ball, then add a small dollop of raspberry jam.

5. Bake for 10–12 minutes or until the edges lightly golden.

6. Cool completely — the cookies firm as they cool.

RN Hormone Insight:

The fat + fiber combo helps blunt cortisol-driven cravings and prevents the “holiday blood sugar roller coaster” that leaves many women exhausted by mid-afternoon. 

Coconut Macaroons — crisp on the outside, soft inside, and naturally hormone-friendly thanks to their fat–protein balance. A holiday classic made smarter.

2. Coconut Macaroon Cookies 

Original recipe by: Cookie & Kate

Why They’re a Stress-Friendly Treat

Macaroons naturally balance fat + protein, making them a more stable holiday sweet. The coconut provides MCTs that support hormone production and brain energy — a win for high-performing women navigating holiday stress.

Ingredients

• 3 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

• ¾ cup coconut milk (or sweetened condensed coconut milk for a richer cookie)

• 3 egg whites

• ⅓ cup maple syrup or honey

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

• Optional: dark chocolate for dipping or drizzling

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.

2. In a mixing bowl, stir together shredded coconut, coconut milk, sweetener, vanilla, and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form — this helps create a lighter texture.

4. Gently fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture until fully incorporated.

5. Scoop the mixture into small mounds on the baking sheet (use a small cookie scoop for consistency).

6. Bake for 18–20 minutes or until the tops and edges turn golden.

7. Let cool completely. If using chocolate, dip or drizzle once cooled.

RN Hormone Insight:

This cookie has a natural fat–protein balance that steadies appetite hormones. It’s a great option for women who experience reactive blood sugar, cortisol spikes, or late-day cravings.

🎁 The Real Gift of This Season

You don’t have to “earn” rest.
You don’t have to perform holiday perfection.
You don’t have to run the emotional marathon alone.

Choose:

✨ slower mornings
✨ gentler expectations
✨ nourishing meals
✨ cookies you enjoy, not justify
✨ traditions that comfort, not drain
✨ connection that actually heals

Your body is not a machine — it’s a brilliant, adaptive system that thrives when the rhythm of your life matches the rhythm of your physiology.

This December, give yourself the gift of intentional softness.

Ready for Personalized Guidance?

If you want support creating a metabolism-friendly, burnout-proof plan for the holidays and 2025:

➡️ Schedule your Free Discovery Call
Let’s map out your hormones, stress load, and energy needs — RN-informed, root-cause-focused, and personalized.