Settle
Soothe your body to settle your mind! Meeting the tension and offering care through soft releasing will allow your muscles relax, sending signals that it’s ok to feel ease. The following activities go from those that are more balancing to those that are deeply restful. Pick your pace for what feels best in this moment.
Breathwork Activities
Physiological Sigh: Two inhales (one big, one “top off”) through the nose, and a long exhale through the mouth - activates vagus nerve fibers at the heart’s sinoatrial node, releasing acetylcholine to slow heart rate and reduce sympathetic activity. This both offloads carbon dioxide and mechanically signals the brain to down shift arousal, creating a rapid sense of calm (Huberman et al., Cell Reports Medicine, 2023).
Movement Activities
Face Yoga
Face Yoga: Nervous system regulation Slow massage/stretch of face/jaw/eyebrows - stimulates the facial and trigeminal branches of the vagus nerve, which send calming signals to the brainstem and promote autonomic regulation. (Moeller et al., Neurology, 2020), (Scientific Reports, 2025).
Grounding
Grounding: Can normalize cortisol rhythms, reduce stress and inflammation, and promote deeper restorative sleep. In one controlled study, grounded adults show a 24% increase in parasympathetic activity and a 21% reduction in sympathetic activity within minutes, reflecting quick nervous system stabilization. (Chevalier et al., Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2015).
Havening
Havening: Uses slow, rhythmic touch to activate C-tactile nerve fibers that send calming signals to the brain’s insula and prefrontal regions, increasing delta wave activity linked to emotional regulation and amygdala down-regulation. Studies sho this process reduces cortisol, and increases osytocin, serotonin, and GABA, which collectively restore sutonomic balance and promote measurable calm, emotional safety, and resilience. (Sumich et al., Frontiers in Psychology, 2025; Ruden et al., Journal of Psychosensory Therapies, 2024) (Sumich et al., Frontiers in Psychology, 2025; Ruden et al., Journal of Psychosensory Therapies, 2024)