Reset Your Nervous System with a “Relax Snack”
What comes to mind when you think of relaxation? Maybe savoring a weeklong vacation on the beaches of Maui. Or spending a leisurely, sun-soaked afternoon dozing off in a hammock in the backyard, dog-eared novel in hand.
While both of these serene scenarios are great, of course it’s not always possible to take an entire week or even a whole afternoon off. What’s more, your nervous system needs more frequent relaxation breaks to reset than just one yearly summer vacation or an afternoon here and there.
In fact, relaxation breaks are so imperative for managing stress, increasing resilience, and supporting mental, cognitive, and physical health, we need to take them several times daily. It’s just as important as the other basics of daily self-maintenance, like staying hydrated and getting adequate sleep.
“What?” you might be thinking. “Who has time for relaxation breaks studded throughout the day?!”
The thing is, when most of us think of relaxation, we tend to think of luxuriating in a weeklong vacation or an entire afternoon cleared of pressing to-do’s. While as a somatic therapist I certainly endorse enjoying vacations and cleared-out afternoons, I’m also a hearty proponent of taking short daily relax snacks.
While it sounds like some kind of tasty newfangled foodstuff, a relax snack isn’t something you necessarily eat. Rather, it’s a catchy phrase to describe a mini-break that gives your nervous system a chance to recalibrate.
What do I mean by “recalibrate” here? Well, especially in today’s information-saturated, fast-paced world, the nervous system is constantly processing multiple sources of information, such as:
The sounds in your environment
Text messages, push notifications, voicemails, calls, and emails
Social media posts
Live and virtual interactions with friends, family, and colleagues
Driving on the freeway
Processing all this information, particularly for extended periods, affects people mentally, emotionally, and physically in various ways. These include diminished ability to focus, activation of the stress response (aka fight or flight), and increased muscle tension. Recalibrating your nervous system with relax snacks enables it to reset, resulting in increased focus, emotional resilience, and access to creativity (including creative problem solving), as well as decreased stress and physical tension.¹⁻³
“Our brains….need breaks in order to refuel, to be able to refocus, create, and produce. When we don’t give them the needed time to refuel, they more or less start to shut down and ratchet up the mood crank factor until we have to listen.”
— JONATHAN FIELDS
Relax snack menu
Here’s a “menu” of relax snacks to try throughout your day. Most of these are “stretchable”—that is, you can do them in as little as 15-30 seconds if that’s all the time you can spare, or you can extend them to a few minutes.
A few pointers: try setting a gentle alarm on your phone for different points during the day to remind you to take your relax snacks. Or try putting a Post-It on your laptop or refrigerator with a friendly reminder. Last but not least, check out the Pomodoro Technique, which is a system that alternates bursts of timed work with regular breaks (you can find more info online or in Pomodoro Technique timer apps). Experiment, see what works best for you, and have fun creating your own relax snack recipes!
Orienting: This is a great quickie that comes from Somatic Experiencing, especially if you’ve only got a minute to spare between meetings. You can even do it in the first minute of a meeting as everyone is arriving. Simply gaze around the room that you’re in, letting yourself take in the objects, textures, and colors around you. This is wonderful to do during any transition from one activity to another, as it’s calming and grounding.
Stretch break: Take a few seconds or a few minutes for a stretch break. You can be seated or standing; whatever works best for your body. If these movements are available to you, try doing the following and modify as needed: Do a few head rolls in one direction and then the other. Scrunch your shoulders up to your ears and drop them back down a few times. Raise your arms above your head and then out by your sides, forming a “T.” Do some gentle wrist rotations forward and then reverse. Give your face a gentle massage.
Dance break: This is a fun twist on the stretch break, and you can time yourself with a favorite 3-minute song. If you’d like, you can invite pets or family to join you, or you can jam out solo. Let your body be moved by the music however it wants. Your movements can be fast or slow, subtle or big. Experiment with what feels good and what is available to you in the moment. See if you can tap into your emotions through movement, letting them flow through you.
Breath/posture check-in: Did you know that your breathing and posture can have a big effect on your ability to concentrate, as well as your mood and energy level? If your posture is slouched over, this makes breathing shallower, which decreases the amount of oxygen intake to your body. (This can explain the reason behind many a sleepy afternoon at your desk!) Try setting a timer on your phone to do a few breath/posture check-ins during the day. No need to judge—just see if you can bring your awareness to your breath and posture and make any tweaks as needed. See if you can sit straighter with your shoulders back and if you can breathe deeper from the belly. Notice the difference in how it makes you feel.
Self-touch: This one also comes from Somatic Experiencing therapy. Squeeze up and down your arms, one at a time. Repeat the process with your legs. Experiment with the rhythm and pressure that feel best to you. This one is great if you’re feeling spacy, overwhelmed, scared, or anxious.
Spend time with a pet: Taking even a minute to spend time with a pet can be immensely comforting and grounding. Petting a beloved cat or dog, talking to a bird, or even watching a fish can please your senses and give your nervous system some healthy temporary distraction.
Walk around the block: This one may take a few minutes, but it’s well worth it. A walk around the block can be an excellent “brain drain,” giving you a blast of fresh air, increasing your circulation, and changing your perspective—literally.
Summary
Just as your body needs adequate hydration and sleep every day, it also needs breaks. Relax snacks are delectable mini-breaks that draw from the wisdom of somatic psychotherapy. These short breaks can help your nervous system to recalibrate.
By just carving out a few seconds or a few minutes in your day, you can support your mental, emotional, and physical health and functioning. While the investment of time and effort is small, the gains of relax snacks are very significant, especially when practiced consistently throughout the day.
References
1. Baer D. Why you need to unplug every 90 minutes. Fast Company. https://www.fastcompany.com/3013188/why-you-need-to-unplug-every-90-minutes. Published June 19, 2013. Accessed July 11, 2022.
2. Ariga A, Lleras A. Brief and rare mental “breaks” keep you focused: deactivation and reactivation of task goals preempt vigilance decrements. Cognition. 2011;118(3):439-443.
3. Fields J. Uncertainty: Turning Fear and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance. New York, NY: Penguin; 2011.