Why Rest Alone Doesn't Guarantee Back Pain Recovery

What to Do Instead This Christmas

For many people, Christmas is the first time all year they finally stop.

No early alarms, no commute, no strict schedule, and more time on the sofa than usual.

And yet, this is often when pain appears or flares up. The back or neck might stiffen up or old injuries make themselves known again.

So what exactly is going on with this?

If rest is meant to heal us, then why do so many people feel worse during the holidays?

Recover Smarter this Christmas

Back Pain Recovery Does Not Always Equal Rest

So here is the distinction a lot of people don't hear:

Rest is the absence of demand or effort.

Recovery is the presence of the right stimulus based on your body's needs.

Stopping activity all together does reduce load on your system, but it doesn't automatically help your body regulate or adapt. Your nervous system doesn't heal simply because you stop moving (traumatic injury is an exception, such as a sprained ankle). It heals when it receives safe, varied, meaningful input. However, the Christmas season does tend to remove a lot of that necessary input all at once.

What Happens to Your Body During the Holidays

Over the Christmas period, several things usually change at the same time:

1. Movement variety stops. Less walking, less reaching, less natural movement.

2. Postures become sustained. Long car journeys, sofas, phones, dining chairs, etc.

3. Daily routines disappear. Sleep times, meals, exercise, and daylight exposure.

4. Stress doesn't disappear, it shifts. Family dynamics, emotional stress, or financial pressure.

From a neurological perspective, this combination often leads to:

1. Increased muscle tone

2. Reduced joint mobility

3. Heightened pain sensitivity

4. A nervous system that struggles to switch off, even while resting

So while it still feels like rest, your system may actually be becoming less adaptable.

Collapse Rest vs Restorative Rest

Not all rest is created equally.

Collapse Rest: This is the most common type of rest at Christmas time. It typically looks like long periods of sitting or lying down, passive scrolling or television, and minimal sensory or movement input. It reduces effort, but often increases stiffness and sensitivity.

Restorative Rest: This supports recovery by gently engaging the nervous system. It looks like light & varied movement, breathing that purposeful (something called "breathwork"), exposure to daylight regularly, and frequent position changes.

You don't necessarily need workouts. You just need signals of safety and movement that is intentional.

Why Doing "Nothing" Can Make Pain WORSE

Pain is not just a tissue or muscular issue, it is a nervous system sign to your body. When movement drops off completely, the brain receives fewer signals of safety, joints and muscles feel less predictable, and pain sensitivity increases (especially in areas with previous injury).

This is often why people tell me during this time:

"I didn't even do anything and now my back hurts!"

From the nervous system's point of view, nothing happening can actually be threatening.

What to Do Instead (Without Turning your Christmas gift into a treatment plan with me)

Most injuries are caused by doing too little for too long, or too much all at once (I will make a separate post about New Years Resolutions for too much all at once). But this isn't about exercise programmes or rigid routines. It is about low effort movement that keeps your system adaptable and stable.

1. Walk daily, even if briefly. A 10-20 minute walk can regulate the nervous system (and get you away from that annoying uncle or auntie), provides rhythmic movement, and improves spinal motion and circulation.

2. Change positions often. Don't chase "perfect posture", because it doesn't exist. Aim for frequent posture changes. Sit, stand, lean, walk. Floor time with the kids/grandkids, reaching, gentle rotation. Your spine thrives on variety, not stillness.

3. Breathe with Intention (2-3 minutes). Slow nasal breathing helps reduce nervous system threat, improves rib and spinal movement, and supports pain inhibition. Inhale through the nose for 4 seconds, exhale slowly for 6 seconds, hands on the ribs rather than the chest.

4. Get daylight early, even if it is cloudy. Morning light helps regulate sleep quality, pain sensitivity, and mood/energy. Even short exposure makes a huge difference.

5. Let movement be playful. Throwing a ball, playing with kids/grandkids, light stretching. Movement doesn't need to look like "rehab" to be therapeutic. The nervous system responds best to non-threatening movement.

The Takeaway:

If your body feels worse at Christmas, it doesn't mean you've done anything wrong. It simply means that your system is under-stimulated, your movement has become too repetitive, and your nervous system needs gentle input, not more rest. Recovery isn't about doing more, it is about doing just enough of the right things.

Every January, I see people convinced they have "damaged" themselves over Christmas. In most cases, nothing is actually broken or injured. Their nervous system simply needs a reintroduction to movement, regulation, and reassurance. If pain lingers into the new year, that is where individual assessment matters. Not because rest failed, but because your body needs guidance back to confident movement and adaptability.

More about Dr. Thomas Jarka, DC