We asked nutritional biochemist, author and speaker Dr Libby Weaver for her advice on how to check in with yourself, nourish your body and reset during this busy time.
Dr Libby holds a Bachelor’s degree in Dietetics and a PhD in Biochemistry and considers wellbeing, emotional regulation and nutrition as a whole.
Though she places focus on the external habits that can help improve our lifestyle (see her suggestions for this time of year below) she also has her own brand of plant-based supplements, called Bio Blends made from real food. Shining a spotlight on nutritional deficiencies that can impact our body’s natural processes and thus impact the way we feel day to day, is another way to support living a balanced and healthy life.
Her latest launch, Organic Magnesium, is sourced from organic pumpkin seeds, and includes 180 mg of magnesium to nourish your mind, muscles and metabolism.
“Magnesium is one of the most impactful minerals for stress resilience, says Dr Libby. “It helps calm the nervous system, relaxes muscles, supports energy production and plays a central role in sleep quality.”
The expert says modern life – with its caffeine, stress and ultra-processed foods – uses up magnesium at a much faster rate than we can often replace it.
“When levels are low, people commonly describe feeling ‘wired but tired’, jumpy, tense or unable to switch off. Supporting magnesium can help restore a sense of steadiness both physically and emotionally.”
Dr Libby on helping easing stress and fatigue this time of year
The end of the year tends to come in like a warm breeze and a whirlwind all at once. One moment we’re thinking, goodness, wasn’t it just Easter?, and the next, our calendar is dotted with gatherings, shared meals, school concerts, travel plans and the gentle (or not-so-gentle) pull of everyone else’s needs.
People often describe December as “busy”, but that never quite captures it, does it? It’s busy, yes, but it’s also emotional, nostalgic, joyful, tender – and sometimes quietly overwhelming.
For some, this season is full of excitement. For others, it feels more like trying to walk through water. Doable, but heavier than it should be. Even with the best intentions, we can find ourselves saying yes to everything because it all seems important.
By the time we reach the middle of the month, our sleep might have shifted, our meals tend to look different, and we’re running on a nervous system that’s slightly frayed around the edges.
There’s nothing wrong with you if you feel this. Truly. Humans were never meant to operate at a festive sprint.
In the spirit of keeping this season more festive than frazzled, here are six ways you can ease the stress and fatigue that many people feel at this time of year:
1. Anchor your day with one predictable routine
At this time of year, everything from sleep to meals to movement can feel disrupted. Instead of trying to perfect every habit, choose one daily anchor that grounds you and that you can do consistently. It might be stepping outside for morning light, a ten-minute walk after dinner or a quiet cup of tea away from screens before bed.
The nervous system loves predictability, and even a single reliable ritual can steady your internal rhythm.
2. Create calm through your breath
When life speeds up, our breath often becomes shallow without us realising. This keeps the body in a stress-response state that fuels irritability, fatigue and restless sleep.
A simple yet powerful recalibration is to lengthen your exhale. Try inhaling for four slow counts and exhaling for six. Do this for two minutes.
Longer exhales communicate safety to your nervous system – a message many of us need more of at this time of year.
3. Feed your energy, don’t fight it
During busy stretches, many people skip meals, eat on the run or rely on caffeine to push through. This can lead to blood glucose levels yo-yoing throughout the day. The result? Dips in mood and energy.
Aim to include a source of good quality protein, nourishing fats and carbs from whole foods at each meal to fuel your energy and keep you satiated until your next meal.
Eat mindfully rather than rushing and seek to pause, even just momentarily when you first sit to eat.
Supplementation can be helpful, particularly if your nourishment isn’t as routine as it usually is. Iron and magnesium are both essential for energy and a calm mind and nervous system. A powdered vegetable blend can help increase your micronutrient intake.
Your body isn’t asking for perfection – just steady nourishment. Bio Blends supplements are all made from food and can be a helpful addition at this time of year.
4. Rest before you reach exhaustion
One of the biggest contributors to year-end fatigue is that too many people wait too long to rest. Your body doesn’t have a voice so it sends you messages through symptoms like low energy to let you know what it needs.
Rest doesn’t just mean sleep, although it is of course incredibly beneficial to prioritise 7-8 hours of restorative sleep for great energy.
Rest can also be reading, lying down with your legs up the wall for ten minutes, gentle stretching, pottering in the garden or simply sitting quietly without a device of any kind in front of you.
Little pauses and breaks from technology soothe a tired nervous system and prevent bigger crashes.
5. Lighten your internal load
We tend to think about stress as being driven by things outside of us. It’s the conflicting commitments, the additional calendar events, the juggling of kids and work on school holidays.
Yet, consider this. If it were these things that were truly the source of our stress, everyone would be stressed about the same things – and that’s not the case. Some people are stressed out about being late and others have a sense of time that’s all their own. Consider your own perception of pressure and urgency.
One other small shift? Ask for help sooner. Many people feel pressured to hold everything together, to make things “nice”, to support others and to push aside their own needs.
Whether it’s sharing a task, saying no to something you don’t have capacity for, or asking a friend to listen, easing your emotional burden can transform your energy.
6. Give your liver a little extra care
This time of year can mean more alcohol, richer meals and later nights – all of which increase the liver’s workload. Supporting this remarkable organ can help with energy, digestion, skin clarity and mood.
Add more bitter greens (rocket, kale, dandelion), cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage) and brightly coloured produce.
These foods are like daily maintenance for your internal engine.
