Stress Levels Rise and Recovery Drops as the Year-End Approaches – How Can We Buck This Trend?

As we get closer to the end of the year, there seems to be a lot going on, and this can have a significant effect on our physical and mental well-being. In this blog, I will look at some of the typical year-end phenomena and reflect on it from the viewpoint of what Firstbeat Technologies Big Data shows – does physiological data look different at the end of the year compared to the rest of the year? I’ll also discuss some practical things we can do to maintain good energy and well-being; despite the challenges that year-end might pose.

How Lack of Daylight Affects Our Well-Being

Here on the Northern hemisphere, the amount of light drops sharply at the end of the year, with the sun rising later and setting earlier. Lack of natural daylight can play tricks with our well-being and energy, with many suffering from seasonal affective disorder -related low moods. Darkness can even affect brain chemistry, especially if we stay indoors during the day and then replace natural daylight with bright lights in the evenings. If the brain doesn’t receive signals from daylight about when it’s time to be alert versus time to get sleepy, our natural hormonal cycle can get mixed up (no cortisol peak in the morning; melatonin secretion not kicking in at night). This can make us feel low on energy and drowsy (or alert) at the wrong times of the day.

During the late fall months, it not only gets darker, but in many parts of the world, it’s likely to be rainy and cold as well. This can challenge our enthusiasm to get outside and be active, further confusing the natural circadian rhythm, which is supported by spending time outside in daylight. Unless we find the motivation to put on our layers and get outside regardless of the weather, or find alternative forms of exercise to boost our energy, lack of physical activity can further affect our mood and vitality during these darkest months.   

Stress Peaks Towards the End of the Year

The typical end-of-semester hurry, associated with students and final examinations, seems to occur also in working life in many sectors, though usually without the exams… Many things need to be wrapped up, so we could start the new year on a clean slate. More deadlines and to-do lists, and often more work and time pressure than during other times of the year.

This is acceptable to a degree, but if the pattern lasts for too long, or if the added demands are more than a person can handle, stress levels start building up and can significantly affect our mood and ability to recover and get restorative sleep. Firstbeat Big Data suggests that even if people sleep a bit longer at the end of the year, the amount of physiological recovery is lower than during most other times of the year (see Fig 1). Prolonged, excessive stress can keep the mind and body wired even during sleep, which prevents high-quality recovery.

Fig. 1. Firstbeat Big Data shows that even if sleep duration increases towards the end of the year, the amount of physiological recovery during sleep decreases and is lowest in December.

Festive Season Habits Disrupt Sleep and Recovery

The last months of the year are in many cultures also a time for year-end celebrations and holiday parties, which can mean late nights, often on top of a heavier workload, and possible use of alcohol, which is known to significantly compromise sleep quality. The positive effects that parties and social gatherings ideally have on our mood and spirit are easily wiped out if the overall load becomes too heavy and/or if we compromise too many sleeps.

A busier than usual social calendar – especially on top of other year-end challenges – can become another stressor, even if it’s meant to boost our spirits. Instead of giving up on uplifting social events, the key is to prioritize, weigh the pros and cons – and when you end up going out, ease off on something else for a few days and pay special attention to sufficient recovery. Many are also realizing that alcohol is not a must-have ingredient of a good time, with statistics showing that people are drinking less today. The day-after a party can feel a lot better if you opt for non-alcoholic drinks and only have the “hangover” from staying up late to deal with… What I’ve found to work well for me during special occasions is enjoy a guilt-free, festive glass of champagne at the start of an event, but then turn to mocktails.

Fig. 2. People feel more stressed and the percent of people who feel very stressed has doubled since 2020. (Based on 100.000 Firstbeat Life measurements from working-aged people in 2020-24.)

Excessive Stress Is Not Just a Nuisance, It’s a Health Risk

Excess stress is so common that people come to accept it as a norm. Firstbeat Big Data shows that the percent of people who feel very stressed has doubled over the last few years (see Fig 2). We easily cultivate a mindset of “if I can just keep going until the next holiday, or until Christmas break, I’ll be ok”. But this strategy doesn’t carry us for ever, especially if the overload periods are too long and too intensive. The body will be at risk for running out of gas. Chronic stress is associated with an increased risk of many physical and mental health problems. For example, burnout (defined as a state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion) typically occurs when we experience long-term stress and feel under constant pressure (https://mentalhealth-uk.org/burnout/).

Looking at Firstbeat’s body resources trend (reflecting the balance between stress and recovery) during the year, we can see that it dips at the end of the year, with December showing the lowest resources all year (see Fig. 3 below). This is likely caused by a combination of the factors discussed in this blog, associated with the end of the year. When we run low on energy and resources for too long, it increases our risk of getting sick, feeling down, and even burning out.

Fig. 3. Body resources drop to their lowest in December. Our body’s resource balance (balance between stress and recovery) undulates during the year but is the most challenged at the end of the year.

A Few Tips for Keeping Your Year-End Stress Manageable

Everyone needs to find their own best way to boost their energy and ensure sufficient recovery at the end of the year; it depends so much on your overall life situation, workload, and many other factors. But here are a few tips to think about: 

• Keep your schedule manageable! If things pile up, or workload is temporarily heavier, don’t hesitate to eliminate something else to keep your “load of life” from tipping over. Ease off on your exercise or give yourself a break from something else for a little while.   
• Prioritize sleep! I know I always say this … but it really starts here. No need to expect every sleep to be perfect but prioritizing enough time for sleep and understanding the value of solid sleep routines goes a long way towards ensuring that you don’t run out of gas.  
• Stay active! Physical activity boosts your energy, makes you more resilient, and has positive effects on your mood. But keep in mind that during stressful times, little can be better than a lot. If your overall load is heavy, take a break from hard workouts and embrace the value of a walk outside or some gentle yoga.

Firstbeat Life Makes Stress Personal

Firstbeat Life is a heart rate variability -based measurement, conducted in a person’s daily life over several days, focused on identifying excessive stress and seeing if recovery mechanisms are working to counterbalance the stress. The value of using this kind of objective real-life data in coaching programs is powerful because it helps the coach and the client see how the body is reacting to life – identifying strengths as well as challenge areas. Getting a visual on the person’s stress profile and putting it in context of their life situation and how they are feeling makes it possible to build realistic and personalized strategies to tackle stress and prevent it from building up, instead of having to rely on often unrealistic one-size-fits-all solutions.