Beat Holiday Stress With Simple Self-Care Tips From Tulsa Yoga Teacher Sue Webb

The holiday season is here — a time for celebration and togetherness. But for many, the joy can quickly give way to stress. From hectic schedules to holiday shopping, the challenges often overshadow the holiday cheer.

Tulsa-based yoga and meditation instructor Sue Webb is offering tips to help manage the pressure and stay grounded during this busy time.

“A lot of people try to deal with holiday stress by escaping — through overeating, overmedicating, drinking, or using drugs,” Webb explained. “The first thing you can do is pause and take one deep breath. That gives you a moment to reconnect and start to calm down. Then, you can begin to implement other practices.”

Webb suggests breathing exercises, physical activity, and meditation as effective tools for reducing holiday stress. She explains that many people don’t realize how much their mental stress affects their physical health.

“If we’re carrying emotional stress without releasing it, we end up storing it in our bodies,” Webb said. “That’s why so many of us experience physical pain — it’s stress that hasn’t been released. Simple activities like yoga, walking, or stretching can make a big difference.”

Even small actions, like stepping outside to breathe fresh air, walking barefoot on grass, or soaking up some sunlight, can help ease tension, she adds.

“When we think of self-care, it can feel selfish,” Webb said. “But no one else is going to prioritize your self-care for you. It’s essential to reframe how you think about it so you can make it a priority.”

To help others navigate the stress of the season, Webb is launching a new online course, “14 Days of Calm.” The program delivers easy-to-follow exercises and meditation techniques straight to participants’ inboxes.

“The idea for this course actually came during election season,” Webb said. “It felt like the stress was piling up, and I wanted to create something simple to help people move their bodies and calm their nervous systems. Many people don’t know how to do that.”

The course is open to individuals of all fitness levels, costs $40, and starts Monday, Dec. 2. For more information or to register, visit the Webb Wellness website

“I hope participants walk away with skills to increase self-awareness and better manage stressful situations,” Webb said. “The goal is to provide tools people can use long after the course ends."