The Feel Good Files: Nervous System Hygiene - Your Body’s Daily Reset Button
Welcome, welcome to the second mini series on the Rooted in Wellness blog: The Feel Good Files! We’re shifting gears from our last series, Let’s Get Lifty, and diving headfirst into the world of holistic wellness—the routines, tools, and mindset shifts that help you move through life feeling more grounded, energized, and like your best self.
To kick things off, we’re starting with a big one: your nervous system. Think of this blog as your user’s guide to hitting that internal “reset” button when life starts to feel a little too chaotic. Because let’s be real—between emails, errands, and life’s random moments, our systems could use a breather.
What’s the Big Deal with the Nervous System?
We’ve touched on this briefly in the Let’s Get Lifty series, but your nervous system does way more than just influence performance. It’s your body’s full-time communication hub, constantly regulating everything from digestion and sleep to energy and emotional balance.
Let’s break it down:
Sympathetic Nervous System = fight or flight.
Parasympathetic Nervous System = rest and digest.
Your body should be able to switch between the two based on what’s happening. If you're chilling in bed with snacks and your favorite show, you don’t need to be primed to fight off a bear. But if your dog swipes a chocolate bar off the counter—sympathetic system, engage!
When these systems aren’t communicating well, it can lead to some not-so-fun things like poor sleep, brain fog, digestive issues, inflammation, and mood swings. So what can you do about it?
Let’s talk reset buttons.
Button 1: Cold Exposure & Vagal Tone Boosting
Cold exposure can help nudge your body into a parasympathetic state—aka your rest zone. No need to cannonball into an ice bath if that’s not your thing. Start with something simple like:
A splash of cold water on your face
A cool shower
Dunking your hands in ice water
Bonus perks? Cold exposure can support recovery, reduce inflammation, and increase your overall stress tolerance.
Button 2: Breathwork for Instant Calm
A personal fave. When we’re stressed, our breathing gets shallow and fast. Flip the script and take control with breathwork:
Diaphragmatic breathing (belly breathing)
Box breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4)
4-7-8 breathing (inhale 4, hold 7, exhale 8)
Even 2–5 minutes can make a huge difference. Need guidance? YouTube has a treasure trove of breathwork videos.
Button 3: Mindful Movement
You already know—movement is medicine. But it doesn’t have to mean hitting PRs or doing 100 burpees. Instead, try:
A walk outside
A slow flow yoga session
A swim or stretch session
Gentle, intentional movement activates the parasympathetic system, reduces stress, eases stiffness, and reminds you that you do have time to take care of yourself.
(And hey, if this speaks to you, check out our Let’s Get Lifty: How Your Nervous System Impacts Strength and Performance blog for more inspo.)
Button 4: Social & Sensory Check-In
Some days, we need a deep convo and a belly laugh with a friend. Other days? Silence, solitude, and a snack. Ask yourself:
“Do I need connection or do I need quiet?”
There’s no wrong answer. Tune into your emotional battery. Both company and alone time can be healing—just choose what fuels you today.
Button 5: Habit Stacking
Want your nervous system reset routines to stick? Try habit stacking—pairing a new habit with something you already do:
After coffee → 60 seconds of deep breathing
After lunch → splash of cold water
After dinner → 5 minutes of stretching before your evening wind-down
This helps your brain associate routines with already-established behaviors, making self-care feel easy and automatic.
Ready to Reset?
Taking care of your nervous system isn’t just a wellness trend—it’s a daily essential. It's the foundation of how you feel, move, and show up in your life. The good news? It doesn’t take a complete lifestyle overhaul. Just a few small shifts, stacked with intention.
If you’re not sure where to start, we’d love to help. At Roots Performance & Wellness, we’re here to help you create a nervous system hygiene routine that’s simple, sustainable, and makes you feel good from the inside out.
Stay chill, stay rooted.
With love,
Dr. Rachel Wolinski, PT, DPT
Roots Performance & Wellness
References
Chodzko-Zajko, W. J., Proctor, D. N., Singh, M. A. F., Minson, C. T., Nigg, C. R., Salem, G. J., & Skinner, J. S. (2009). Exercise and physical activity for older adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 41(7), 1510–1530. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181a0c95c
Fullagar, H. H. K., Skorski, S., Duffield, R., Hammes, D., Coutts, A. J., & Meyer, T. (2015). Sleep and athletic performance: The effects of sleep loss on exercise performance, and physiological and cognitive responses to exercise. Sports Medicine, 45(2), 161–186. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0260-0
Roberts, S. S. H., Teo, W.-P., & Warmington, S. A. (2019). Effects of training and competition on the sleep of elite athletes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 53(8), 513–522. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-100099
Simpson, N. S., Gibbs, E. L., & Matheson, G. O. (2017). Optimizing sleep to maximize performance: Implications and recommendations for elite athletes. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 27(3), 266–274. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12703
Yadav, A., Singh, S., & Kumar, R. (2025). A structured breathing program improves sleep quality and emotional well-being in physical therapy students: A randomized controlled trial. BMC Public Health, 25(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-14567-w