Healthy Hoopie Habits - Day 25: Nervous System Regulation
If there’s one habit I’ve had to learn (and am still learning) to intentionally build into my day, it’s this one.
Regulate my nervous system.
Stress Isn't All Bad — Until It Is
Let’s be clear: stress is not the enemy.
There are good forms of stress.
Waking up: Cortisol rises as we shift from rest into alertness — this is natural and good.
Training: A tough lift or a hard run puts acute stress on the body to break down and rebuild — this is where we grow.
Challenging projects: A little pressure can bring out our creativity, our drive, and our ability to rise to a new level.
In short: acute stress, in the right dose, makes us stronger.
But the problem starts when that acute stress isn’t followed by recovery and it becomes chronic.
It looks like:
Waking up already anxious
Fasted training + no time to refuel
Work stress layered on top of physical fatigue
Constant stimulation (screens, notifications, noise)
No pause… just constant noise
Before we know it, our system is overloaded. And we don’t even realize it — because we never reset.
This Ties Into the Last Few Days
Gratitude (day 23) helps slow the mind and shift perspective.
Focus (day 24) keeps us aligned with what matters.
But nervous system regulation is what allows us to sustain both.
It brings your body and brain back to safety. It reminds you that you're okay. That you don’t have to live braced and reactive all day.
Tools to Regulate Your Nervous System
This doesn’t have to be complicated or structured. It just needs to be intentional.
Here are some practices I’ve found helpful:
Go for a walk — outside if possible. Leave your phone.
Sit outside — soak up the sunshine, listen to the nature around
Put your hands in the dirt or ocean or grass.
Do something playful — draw, dance, bake, or throw a ball with your kid.
Listen to calming music
Take a real lunch break — eat in peace, not in front of a screen.
Use breathwork
Breathwork: A Simple Reset
I used to think breathwork was silly. I knew how to brace during a heavy lift, but breathing throughout the day? I never thought about it.
I’d go for a walk or sit outside thinking I was relaxing, but my breath was still short, still tight, still stuck in my chest. I was never fully letting go. I wasn’t bringing awareness to what my body needed.
Here’s the simple breathwork practice I’ve been using lately.
It’s called box breathing (with a slight variation):
🫁 Box Belly Breathing (My Version)
Step-by-step:
Get still. Step away from the screen or noise. Place one hand on your belly.
Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds — focus on your belly rising, not just your chest.
Hold your breath for 2 seconds.
Exhale through pursed lips for 4–6 seconds — slowly and completely.
Pause. Sit in the stillness for a moment.
Repeat for a few minutes — just enough to reset and re-center.
You can also:
Do this with your eyes closed.
Pair it with a gratitude check-in.
Let it be a moment of awareness — what do I feel? what’s going on outside this task or to-do list?
You’re Not Above Stress
None of us are.
We don’t out-discipline stress. We manage it. We acknowledge it. We regulate it. And we recover so we can keep showing up strong.
