It seems like each year the decorations go up earlier, the sales get pushed up a bit, and the radio stations start pumping out the same 8 songs over and over again before everyone’s even ready. But now there’s no escaping it—we’re officially in the throes that is the Holiday Season.

Even for those of us whom this is the best time of the year, the holidays are never not stressful. There’s lots of running around to see family and friends, work to get done before the calendar turns over, turkeys and desserts to be made, gifts to be bought. And for some out there, the hustle and bustle of the holidays can exacerbate our anxieties and lead to high stress.

It’s as good a time of year as ever to take advantage of acupuncture’s unique ability to help the body and mind relax, reduce anxiety, and operate at its peak. Acupuncture improves myriad bodily functions, particularly the nervous system which controls so much of how our mind feels and what response it creates in the body,

“Depending on where the needles go, acupuncture can cause the nervous system to produce painkilling chemicals, jump-start the body’s natural ability to heal itself, or stimulate the part of the brain that controls emotions, including anxiety,” writes Everyday Health.

The holidays are a time that can feel very go go go, where we don’t have as much time as we normally do to ourselves to recharge and relax. Acupuncture isn’t going to make your life less busy, but by regulating the body’s energy (or qi), consistent treatments can help you make the most of the time your body and mind is supposed to be is relaxing, like when you’re sleeping.

In a personal testimonial at You Beauty, writer Avital Norman Nathman shared, “I would always have the best sleep of the week the night after my acupuncture appointment. And I would also feel lighter. My chest wouldn’t be clenched as tightly and the raw current of anxiety that seems to continuously float just beneath the surface of my skin was dissipate for a while, allowing me to experience a semblance of normalcy, if only for a little while.

This year, let the holidays the special time of year they’re supposed to be by making acupuncture a regular part of your mental, physical, and emotional wellness routine.