The Week In Between: Why Your Body and Brain Feel Off—and How to Stabilize Them
- lchabut
- 20 hours ago
- 3 min read
The days between Christmas and New Year’s aren’t lazy or unproductive by accident. They’re a physiological and psychological transition period. Routines loosen, sleep shifts, social exposure spikes, and the nervous system is coming down from sustained stimulation. The result: low energy, scattered focus, weird hunger cues, emotional sensitivity, and a general sense of being “off.”
This isn’t a personal failure. It’s systems lag.
Here’s how to stabilize without overcorrecting.
1. Nutrition: Shift From Control to Containment
This week is not about optimization. It’s about preventing volatility.
Blood sugar swings are the main culprit behind fatigue, irritability, and cravings during this period. The solution isn’t restriction—it’s anchors.
What to prioritize
Protein at the first meal of the day. This sets the tone for appetite regulation and cortisol response.
Consistent meal timing, even if portions vary.
Fiber from real food (fruit, vegetables, legumes) to support digestion after heavier meals.
What to deprioritize
Skipping meals to “balance out” indulgence.
Liquid-only resets or detoxes.
Perfection tracking.
Think of nutrition this week as shock absorbers, not performance tuning. To learn more about nutrition and prioritize healthy eating habits in the new year, check out our nutrition Expert, Ilana Muhlstein!
2. Hormones: Expect Lag, Not Failure
Cortisol, insulin, and melatonin don’t reset overnight. After weeks of social events, late nights, alcohol, and disrupted routines, hormones are recalibrating.
Common signs this week:
Hunger cues feel inconsistent.
Sleep feels lighter or fragmented.
Emotions hit harder than expected.
The fix is rhythm, not discipline.
Stabilizers
Morning light exposure to reset circadian rhythm.
Regular meals to calm insulin signaling.
Earlier evenings without forcing early bedtimes.
Hormones respond to predictability. Give them that. To learn more about hormones and the power of your thyroid, check out our Experts, Dr. Grace Tassa MD, Dr. Golnaz Saedi MD, and Dr. Shamsah Amersi MD!
3. Mental Wellness: Downshift the Nervous System
Your brain is coming off high alert. Family dynamics, social performance, decision overload, and constant stimulation push the nervous system into sympathetic overdrive.
Now comes the rebound.
Instead of forcing productivity, focus on regulation.
Low-effort practices
3–5 minutes of slow nasal breathing once or twice a day.
Short, guided body scans or grounding exercises.
Fewer inputs: less scrolling, fewer plans, less noise.
Meditation this week is not about transcendence. It’s about signaling safety. For more inspiration, check out our breathwork specialist, Jamie Lovelynn!
5. Fitness: Move for Circulation, Not PRs
This is not the week for intensity spikes.
Your nervous system and connective tissue are better served by:
Walking
Light strength work
Mobility and stretching
Low-impact cardio
Movement should leave you clearer, not depleted.
If you feel better after, it was the right choice. If you feel fried, scale back. For more fitness guidance, check out LaReine’s wellness coaching!
Bonus: Red Light Therapy as a Low-Effort Regulator
If this week feels foggy, sluggish, or inflammatory, red light therapy can be a useful support tool—not a magic fix, a stabilizer. At a high level, red and near-infrared light work at the cellular level to support mitochondrial function. Translation: better energy production, improved recovery signals, and reduced systemic stress. That matters during a week when sleep is inconsistent, inflammation is higher, and routines are loose.
Where it helps most this week
Energy without stimulation: Supports cellular energy without spiking cortisol like caffeine.
Inflammation control: Helpful after indulgent meals, alcohol, or travel-related swelling.
Muscle recovery: Supports circulation and tissue repair when workouts are lighter but movement is inconsistent.
Sleep support: Evening sessions may help cue the body toward recovery mode rather than alertness.
Think of red light therapy as a quiet systems tool. It supports recovery while everything else recalibrates. In a week defined by transition, low-effort inputs with high physiological payoff are exactly the point.
To inquire into red-light therapy services or just learn more about the benefits, check out our red-light therapy Expert, Brooke McKeever!
The Bottom Line
The week between holidays and the new year isn’t a failure of motivation—it’s a biological and emotional transition.
Treat it like one.
Stabilize your inputs. Lower the bar. Support your systems. When January arrives, you won’t need a reset—you’ll already be grounded.
Momentum doesn’t come from pushing harder. It comes from not falling apart when the structure loosens.
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