Small Practices That Restore Your Nervous System

Regulation doesn’t require hours of meditation or a retreat—it starts with small, consistent practices. I like to call these practices “Somatic Snacks” because every BODY likes a snack. It doesn’t have to be a lot at once, but just a little scattered across your day can be life changing. A large part of what I do with clients is finding the Somatic Snacks that work for them and teaching them how to incorporate these into their daily routines, so that they are constantly tending to their nervous systems.

Here are some examples you can try:

• Long exhales: For 3–5 breaths simply focus on exhaling as long as you can. Bring your awareness to how incredibly long you can make an exhale. Let the inhale come automatically

• Grounding: Feel your feet on the floor, shoulders relaxed, chest open. Shrug your shoulders up to your ears and squinch your face hard. And the relax your face and shoulders.

• Movement: Stand, stretch, or shake off tension during breaks.

• Micro-boundaries: Practice saying “I need a moment” or “I’ll get back to you” when overwhelmed.

These simple tools help reinforce your body-brain connection. You can create micro-moments of safety, building resilience throughout the day and, eventually, these will just be habits that happen as part of your day.