We live in a world of constant stimulation, alerts, screens, deadlines, news updates, and caffeine binges. It’s no surprise our nervous systems feel permanently on edge. A small shift I made recently, swapping my usual cup of strong coffee for something gentler, led me down a path of greater awareness. While exploring beverage options, I compared different blends including Ryze, pondering the difference between mushroom tea and mushroom coffee and how each would affect my mood and digestion. That small curiosity sparked a broader journey into understanding how to give our nervous systems the breaks they so desperately need.
If your body feels tense, your mind is noisy, or your mood feels fragile, here we’ll look at simple, science-backed ways to reset your nervous system, and sense more ease in your day.
1. What Happens When Your Nervous System Overloads
Chronic stimulation pushes us into a prolonged state of sympathetic activation: the so-called “fight or flight.” While occasionally useful, extended sympathetic dominance can lead to insomnia, digestion issues, anxiety, hormonal imbalance, and immune suppression.
Our goal is to strengthen the opposing system, the parasympathetic nervous system, which governs rest, digestion, and restoration. By weaving in moments of pause, sensory breaks, and gentle rituals, you allow your body to recalibrate and heal.
2. Begin the Day With Calm Intention
Your morning choice can set the tone for your nervous system all day. Instead of rushing into emails or caffeine, give your system a moment to transition:
- Take three deep breaths upon waking.
- Hydrate with a glass of water.
- Sip overnight or try a gentler cup, whether herbal tea or an adaptogen blend like Ryze.
That shift in mood from overstimulated to intentional doesn’t feel dramatic, but it registers inside your system. It cues your body that today doesn’t have to start with tension.
3. Use Breathwork to Lower Cortisol In Real Time
Breath provides immediate access to the vagus nerve, which activates the parasympathetic nervous system. You don’t need bells or incense, just a few intentional breaths:
- Try box breathing: inhale four seconds, hold four, exhale four, pause four, repeat four times.
- Or simply slow your exhalation: inhale for 4, exhale for 6–8 seconds.
Even one such cycle before a meeting or midday slump can interrupt cortisol spikes and restore equilibrium.
4. Schedule “Sensory Pauses” Throughout Your Day
Sensory input continuously affects your nervous system, screens, noise, scents, light changes. Consider intentional mini-breaks that reduce sensory load:
- Step outside for natural daylight and fresh air.
- Take two minutes in silence, headphones off, no music.
- Feel textured objects: pottery, wood, plants.
- Press a warm hand to your chest or belly, noticing your breath.
These small resets help prevent emotional escalation through the day.
5. Move the Body With Ease, Not Effort
Image from Unsplash
Exercise is beneficial, but grueling sessions can sometimes push the nervous system further into sympathetic mode. Instead, aim for movement that soothes:
- Short gentle walks after lunch.
- Morning stretching or yoga flow.
- Rolling shoulders or neck rotation at your desk.
This promotes circulation and lowers stress without exhausting your system, or fueling overstimulation.
6. Create Environment That Supports Calm
Your physical surroundings play a powerful role in how your system responds:
- Dim bright overhead lighting; use warm ambient lights.
- Reduce clutter in high-use spaces to avoid visual overload.
- Integrate soft textures, like plants, warm textiles, or non-intrusive art.
- Keep phone alerts minimal, ideally with silent or vibrate settings.
Your brain takes cues from the environment, choose cues that say: you’re safe here.
7. Feed the Gut-Calm Axis with Restorative Foods
Your nervous system and gut are deeply interconnected, the gut-brain axis. Stress can lead to digestive issues like bloating or discomfort, which in turn stress the nervous system further. To support both:
- Eat slowly and chew thoroughly.
- Prioritise fiber, hydration, and probiotics.
- Reduce inflammatory foods like large amounts of sugar or processed fats.
- Consider gentler morning beverages if coffee feels too harsh, again, something like mushroom tea or mushroom coffee blends can be easier on digestion and nervous reactivity.
According to the NHS, a balanced diet rich in soluble fiber and hydration supports regular digestion and overall gut comfort, key for calming nerve feedback loops.
8. End Your Day with a Soothing Routine
What you do in the final hour before sleep influences how your system resets overnight. Try these low-tech rituals:
- Dimming lighting to signal winding down.
- Sip non-caffeinated herbal teas or adaptogen blends.
- Journal brief reflections: three things you were grateful for, or what went well.
- Stretch gently or lie still and breathe deeply.
Over time, these cues train your nervous system that evening means rest, not alertness.
9. Prevent Overload by Calibrating Your Exposure
We can’t eliminate stimulation, but we can regulate how much we let in:
- Choose scheduled “media-free” windows during your afternoon or weekend.
- Respond to messages in blocks, not constant pings.
- Batch tasks that don’t require full mental energy.
By consciously pacing input, you reduce the risk of neural saturation and emotional fatigue.
Your nervous system deserves more than a constant coffee fix and endless notifications. Whether you begin your day with Ryze in mind, exploring mushroom tea vs mushroom coffee, or simply commit to breath before scroll, these small, intentional acts help you reclaim calm.
Over time, giving your system space to rest and reset becomes more than self-care, it becomes a source of strength. Move gently through demands. Choose tools that soothe. And trust that balance is built, not forced.