You don’t need an hour. You don’t need candles, crystals, or complete silence.
Sometimes you just need five minutes and a bathroom stall. (Yes, been there.)
Here’s how you can reset your nervous system when you’re overwhelmed, overstimulated, or just need a full-body exhale. when you’re overwhelmed, overstimulated, or just need a full-body exhale.
Step 1: Feel Your Feet
Seriously. Just stop, drop your awareness down, and feel the soles of your feet.
Bonus points: Wiggle your toes. Press one foot into the ground, then the other.
Add this gentle activation move: Slowly rise up onto your toes while inhaling and gently lifting your arms overhead. Then, as you exhale, slowly lower back onto your heels while lowering your arms back down by your sides. Repeat this 3–5 times. This coordinated motion of lifting through the toes and reaching activates proprioception and the vestibular system, encouraging your body to find grounding and balance.
This grounds your body in the here-and-now faster than any mantra.
Step 2: Sigh Like You Mean It
Take a breath in through your nose. Then sigh it out loud through your mouth.
Now do that again. And again.
Three loud sighs = signal to your nervous system that it can chill.
Step 3: 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding
This one’s gold. Name:
- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can touch
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste (or just name a favorite)
Simple. Fast. Distraction-proof.
Step 4: Shoulder Roll Reset
Roll your shoulders up, back, and down. Do it 3 times.
Reverse direction. 3 more times.
Feel that shift? It’s real. Your vagus nerve approves.
Step 5: Say One Kind Thing to Yourself
Try:
- “You’re okay right now.”
- “It’s safe to rest.”
- “We’ve done hard things before.”
Your nervous system listens. Even if your mind’s still catching up.
Before you scroll away, just remember this:
“Regulation begins when you stop rushing and start noticing.”
Sources & Science Corner:
- Frontiers in Psychology (2021). Effects of breathing techniques on stress response. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.634837
- Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
- American Psychological Association. Quick relaxation techniques. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/relaxation
Disclaimer: This article reflects personal experience and is intended for informational and inspirational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare or mental health professional before beginning any new therapeutic practice.
