If you've been feeling overwhelmed, overstimulated, or like your nervous system is revved all the way up this holiday season… you are not alone.

This blog post comes from a coaching call I led with my clients this week. The conversation felt so powerful and so needed that I knew I wanted to share it with you. Because right now, many women are feeling more irritable, more reactive, more emotional, and less like themselves and they don’t know why.

Today, I’m guiding you through something simple but transformational:

How to create space and why your nervous system needs it more than ever.

And the best part?

It doesn’t require clearing your schedule or taking a weekend away.

These are tiny, doable ways to carve out moments of peace so you can feel grounded, calm, and present again.

Before we dive in, take a breath.

Ask yourself gently: What do I really need this season?

Let a word arise. Peace, rest, clarity, joy, ease, steadiness - whatever your inner guidance whispers.

Write it down. Put it somewhere you’ll see it daily. Let it become your anchor.

Why This Season Feels Harder on Your Nervous System

Even the most magical seasons of life come with more stimulation:

- Extra lights, sounds, and sensory input

- More social interactions and emotional labor

- Less routine and less sleep

- Travel, crowds, planning, pressure, expectations

- Hormonal fluctuations that make emotional triggers louder

- Old grief or unresolved emotions bubbling up

This is why so many women in midlife experience a sudden spike in irritability, overwhelm, mood swings, brain fog, digestive flare-ups, and emotional reactivity.

It’s not that you're doing something wrong.

It’s not that you “should be handling this better.”

Your nervous system is simply saying: “Please help me find a little space.”

How to Know If You’re Dysregulated

“Dysregulation” is a buzzword lately, but here’s what it really looks like:

- Feeling irritable or snappy

- Overreacting to small things

- Brain fog or confusion

- Feeling shut down, numb, or checked out

- Sugar cravings or emotional eating

- Digestive issues suddenly flaring

- Exhaustion that feels like a weight pressing down

- Feeling overwhelmed by things that “shouldn’t” feel overwhelming

None of these are moral failings.

They are simply signals that your body needs a pause.

Creating Space: The Simplest Antidote to Overwhelm

We tend to think the solution is doing more: another routine, another protocol, another system.

But often, the nervous system is asking for the opposite: Not more tasks. More space.

Even micro-spaces.

Even 30 seconds.

Here are surprisingly simple ways to create space without rearranging your life:

1. Take space before responding.

Instead of answering instantly, say: “I’ll check my schedule and get back to you.”

It gives your body a moment to choose what aligns with your energy.

2. Take a breath before reacting.

Especially if a conversation feels activating. One breath can shift the entire trajectory.

3. Create space before eating.

Pause for 3 breaths. Look at your food.

This alone can help your digestion massively.

4. Create silence before stimulation.

Turn off the background noise.

Let there be stillness before you head into a busy environment.

5. Transition intentionally.

Sit in your car for one minute before walking into your home, work, store, or event.

Your nervous system loves transitions.

6. Step away for 60 seconds of fresh air.

Even in winter. It resets your entire system.

7. Drink water before responding.

This tiny boundary gives your body a beat to recalibrate.

“Space Snacks”: Micro-Regulation Tools You Can Use Anywhere

These little tools help your body switch from stress mode to calm mode:

Three deep breaths before entering a room

5-4-3-2-1 grounding (see 5 things, hear 4 things, feel 3 things…)

Hand on heart with a grounding statement:

I’m safe. I’m here. I’m steady. I’m whole.

A minute of silence before shifting tasks

A short walk after dinner

Pausing in the bathroom for 30 seconds (especially during overstimulating events)

Think of these as nourishment for your nervous system—tiny, powerful moments that bring you back into yourself.

Understanding Prioritization Through a Nervous System Lens

This part of our coaching call brought so much clarity to my clients.

We tend to ask:

What’s due?

What do I have to get done?

What will people think?

But a better question is: What truly helps me feel well?

Your inner guidance (your gnosis) knows the answer.

When you get quiet, it becomes obvious:

“I need more water.”

“I need fresh air.”

“I need vegetables.”

“I need rest.”

“I need simplicity.”

Other helpful questions:

What is draining me that I can let go of?

What am I saying yes to out of guilt or habit?

What matters most to my family?

Does this create connection or chaos?

You have permission to cut anything that creates dread, steals your presence, or adds to your mental load.

You also have permission to choose presence over perfection for the rest of your life.

Final Encouragement: You Are Not Meant to Live Overwhelmed

Your nervous system is not failing you.

It is communicating with you.

And every time you choose even one tiny moment of space, you are teaching your body:

“You are safe. You can rest. You can soften.”

There is a calm, confident version of you underneath the overwhelm - a version who is present, grounded, peaceful, and connected.

She is still in there.

This is how you find her again.

Lots of love,

Rachel

Want extra support?

I created a free Mood Swings SOS Audio: a 5-minute reset you can play anytime your emotions start to spike. Women tell me it helps almost instantly.

About Rachel Carta, RN

As a Registered Nurse, Author, Functional Nutrition Counselor, & Life Coach, I help women who are tired of feeling off—low energy, digestive issues, brain fog, mood swings, or just not feeling like yourself. You can wake up with energy. You can feel good again in your body. You can reconnect to the vibrant, grounded you. You don't have to do this alone. Book a free consultation here: RachelCartaRN.com/schedule.