4 Foods to Help Calm Your Nervous System This Festive Season
The end of the year can feel overwhelming, full of extra demands and emotional noise. If you’re feeling a little worn, you’re not alone. Thankfully, certain calming foods can help steady your nervous system and bring more ease into this busy season. Let’s explore a few simple, supportive options that you can weave into your festive feasts.
The lead-up to Christmas can be a very busy and an often-overwhelming time of year. With end of year schedules to tie off, gatherings to attend, and last-minute holiday plans to organise, your nervous system may end up in a bit of over-drive.
It can be so tempting to overindulge in festive cheer, however it is just as important to continue to nourish yourself now, as you have throughout the year. Many common festive foods contain a lot of ingredients that can agitate your nervous system, including sugar, refined carbohydrates and salt, trans fats, food additives, caffeine and other highly processed ingredients. Excessive intake of these ingredients can disrupt your nervous system by causing blood sugar dysregulation, inflammation, and hyperactivity.
The good news is you can still indulge in your festive treats while attempting to calm your nervous system. It’s not about cutting out all of your favourite foods but about balancing your diet with the most nourishing ones. Here are a few foods you can add to daily meals, Christmas dishes, and holiday snacks to support your nervous system this time of year.
chicken or turkey breast
Poultry such as chicken and turkey not only provide a nourishing source of protein but also offer calming nutrients that help the body unwind. They contain the essential amino acid tryptophan, which the body uses to create serotonin — a key messenger that supports mood balance and healthy sleep.
These meats, particularly the breast meat, are also a rich source of vitamin B6, an important nutrient for neurotransmitter production (like serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline and GABA) and optimum nervous system function.
By adding these nutrient-rich sources of protein to your festive meals, you will also help to stabilise your blood-sugar so that you keep your nervous system in check throughout the day.
greek yoghurt
Dairy foods such as natural or Greek yoghurt can be wonderfully supportive for the nervous system. They’re another tryptophan-containing food that are rich in probiotics, which help maintain a healthy, balanced gut — an important foundation for emotional wellbeing. Because the gut and brain communicate closely, supporting digestion with probiotic-rich yoghurt may help calm stress responses, steady mood, and support a more grounded, centred feeling throughout the day.
Greek yoghurt is also a rich source of calcium, a carminative mineral that not only promotes bone health, but also helps with nerve transmission, heart rate regulation, and production of insulin — the hormone that helps with blood sugar balance.
Try being creative with this versatile food. It can be used in so many tasty meals, including both sweet and savoury dishes. As an easy-prep snack, simply stir a little cinnamon into half a cup of Greek yoghurt and use as a dip for fresh strawberries.
walnuts
Walnuts are famously shaped like little brains, and their benefits align beautifully with that symbolism. They’re one of the richest plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), which the body converts into DHA and EPA, essential fats that support healthy brain function and a resilient nervous system. Omega-3s help reduce inflammation, strengthen communication between nerve cells, and support mood balance. Alongside this, walnuts provide magnesium and antioxidants like vitamin E that help soothe stress responses and protect the brain from oxidative strain.
Walnuts are wonderfully versatile and add a rich, earthy depth to so many dishes. They make a beautiful base for stuffing or a flavourful crumb coating for meats, and pair naturally with ingredients like apple, dates, or banana — perfect for apple crumble, banana bread, or wholesome muffins. They also bring a lovely crunch to salads and savoury bowls. Beyond their culinary flexibility, even a small handful of walnuts each day offers a nourishing way to support your mind and nervous system, thanks to their omega-3 fats and calming nutrients.
Serious brain food!
The outer shell of these remarkable nuts resembles the human skull with the softer nut or brain inside.
cacao
Cacao and cocoa are well known for their high magnesium content — an essential mineral with significant roles in calming the nervous system and supporting muscular relaxation. Magnesium is required for proper muscle function, helping muscles release after they contract, and is involved in more than 300 enzymatic reactions throughout the body, including those related to energy production, nerve signalling, and stress regulation. During periods of mental, emotional, or physical stress, the body uses magnesium at a faster rate, increasing the likelihood of becoming depleted. This is one reason why magnesium-rich foods like cacao can be especially supportive during stressful times, helping restore balance and maintain healthy nervous system function.
This is great news for all the chocolate lovers out there! There are many wonderful and nourishing recipes that utilise cacao (the raw version of cocoa). Why not make a soothing hot chocolate in the evenings to help you relax and unwind by blending raw cacao, a natural sweetener like honey with your milk of choice?
In summary
Poultry such as chicken and turkey gently support the body with tryptophan, an amino acid that helps the body create serotonin — a key messenger for mood, calm, and restful sleep. Dairy foods like natural or Greek yoghurt offer soothing probiotics that nurture the gut, which plays an important role in how we emotionally respond to stress. Walnuts bring nourishing omega-3 fats, magnesium, and antioxidants that help settle inflammation and support smooth, steady communication within the nervous system. Cacao and cocoa provide an extra source of magnesium, a mineral the body relies on for muscle relaxation, nervous system balance, and hundreds of restorative processes that become even more important when life feels demanding. Together, these foods offer a gentle, grounding way to support emotional steadiness and soothe the nervous system — especially during the often-busy Christmas and festive season, when your body may be calling for a little extra care.
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