The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas create one of the most stressful periods of the year, and this pressure has a direct biological impact on eating patterns. A national survey by the American Heart Association that included 1,000 adults found that 63% believe the holiday season is more stressful than tax season, meaning nearly 2 out of 3 adults enter this period already emotionally overloaded before events even begin (American Heart Association, 2023). In the same survey 79% of adults reported that they become so focused on creating meaningful experiences for others that they neglect their own health needs. This leads to skipped meals, disrupted sleep, reduced exercise, increased alcohol intake, emotional overload, and reactive eating patterns. These behaviors create a stress based internal state that strongly increases cravings and overeating (American Heart Association, 2023).
The American Heart Association also found that 51% of adults need several weeks to feel less stressed after the holidays, and more than 25% of mothers say it takes at least 1 month to recover from the emotional and physical load of the season (American Heart Association, 2023). The American Psychological Association reports that 41% of adults experience elevated stress during this period, describing feelings of emotional exhaustion, financial strain, social pressure, and a sense of being stretched beyond capacity (American Psychological Association, 2023). Sleep becomes irregular, emotional steadiness decreases, and the reward centers of the brain become more reactive, which amplifies cravings and emotional hunger.
Holiday stress activates the sympathetic nervous system and triggers increased cortisol and adrenaline. These stress hormones reduce impulse control, heighten emotional hunger, and increase the brain’s sensitivity to reward foods. Sleep disruptions common during the season increase the hunger hormone ghrelin and decrease leptin which regulates fullness. As cortisol rises and sleep declines the body craves sugar, fats, and comfort foods with greater intensity. When you add this biology to environments filled with seasonal treats, buffets, and family meals, stress driven eating becomes almost inevitable. This is not a personal flaw. It is a predictable response to prolonged stress.
Gratitude interrupts this process in a powerful and biologically measurable way. Research shows that gratitude activates the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for emotional regulation and thoughtful decision making, while reducing activation of the amygdala which drives stress and fear responses (Kyeong et al., 2017). This shift lowers cortisol and steadies the internal state of the body, which naturally reduces the urgency and intensity of cravings.
Gratitude also redirects emotional focus from what feels overwhelming to what feels stable, supportive, or meaningful, creating a sense of grounding at the exact moment when the stress response is escalating.
Tracking gratitude within thePause app amplifies these benefits. When you log gratitude moments inside thePause app, you are not simply recording thoughts. You are creating a brief physiological reset that interrupts the stress cycle. Each entry shifts your body out of emotional reactivity and into regulation. Over time these repeated micro shifts deepen resilience, increase emotional clarity, and reduce the automatic pull toward stress driven eating. This makes gratitude not only an emotional tool but also a biological strategy to support steadier choices throughout the holiday season.
The holiday season brings real stress for many adults, and the numbers confirm that this stress is both significant and long lasting. Understanding the biology behind holiday stress and emotional eating allows you to respond with clarity instead of frustration. Gratitude stabilizes your nervous system, decreases cravings, and supports choices aligned with your health. When combined with intentional tracking inside thePause app gratitude becomes a daily practice that strengthens emotional balance and supports your wellbeing during the busiest time of the year.
References
- American Heart Association. (2023). Holiday stress survey results. American Heart Association.
- American Psychological Association. (2023). Stress in America report. American Psychological Association.
- Kyeong, S., Kim, J., Kim, D. J., and Kim, H. E. (2017). Effects of gratitude meditation on neural network functional connectivity and brain heart coupling. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 11, 1 to 18.