The Nervous System Reset for Busy Women

🌬 Box Breath (2 minutes)

When every second counts, start with the breath.

Box breathing—a structured rhythm of inhale, hold, exhale, hold—can shift your system from stress to stillness in under two minutes.

• Inhale for 4
• Hold for 4
• Exhale for 4
• Hold for 4

Repeat for 4 rounds. Your breath steadies. Your body follows.

💆 Progressive Muscle Relaxation (10–15 minutes)

Got a few extra moments and a quiet place? Try progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). This evidence-based technique works by intentionally creating—and then releasing—muscle tension to cue the body into relaxation.

1. Start at your feet. Inhale and gently tighten. Hold. Exhale and release.
2. Work your way up: calves → thighs → core → chest → arms → shoulders → jaw.

Your body learns the rhythm: tension, release, ease.

Try a guided audio like Dartmouth’s PMR recording.

❄️ Cold Therapy for Resiliency (20 seconds–20 minutes)

A deeper reset awaits in the cold.

Cold exposure can stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system through receptors in the skin—triggering acetylcholine, a calming neurotransmitter that slows your heart rate and quiets the body. Try this: 

• End your shower with 20 seconds of cold water (~68°F)
• Apply a cool pack to your neck, chest, or face (vagus nerve zones)
• Bonus: Dip in a cold river or ocean for full immersion

Listen to your body: Cold therapy isn’t for everyone. If you have health conditions, consult your provider first.

⏱ Your 5-Minute Midday Reset

In between meetings or obligations? Reset in real time with this simple sequence:

1. Box Breathe (1 minute)
   Inhale 4 • Hold 4 • Exhale 4 • Hold 4 (3–4 rounds)
2. Release Tension (2 minutes)
   Tense + release muscle groups from feet to jaw
3. Cold Activation (1–2 minutes)
   Splash face with cold water or apply a cold pack to neck

🛁 Nervous System Reset Soak

Because slowing down isn’t indulgent—it’s intelligence.

1. Set the tone (low light = low cortisol)
   • Dim lights or light a candle
   • Play a soft playlist (Luteal: Golden Hour In)
   • Bonus: Use red/amber light instead of blue
2. Add magnesium to your bath
   • 1–2 cups Epsom salt
   • A few drops lavender or chamomile essential oil
3. Heat it just right
   • 100–102 °F / 37–39 °C
   • Not too hot = parasympathetic activation
4. Try 4-7-8 breathing
   • Inhale 4 seconds • Hold 7 • Exhale 8
   • Repeat for 3–5 rounds
5. After-bath grounding
   • Moisturize with intention
   • Sip warm chamomile or lemon-balm tea
   • Skip screens for 20+ min

🎧 Cycle-Synced Playlists

Support your mood, hormones, and energy with music that matches your phase.

🥗 Hormone-Balancing Nourish Bowl

Warm, grounding, and packed with fiber, healthy fats, and minerals your hormones love.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 large handful leafy greens (arugula, kale, or mix)
• 1 sweet potato, sliced
• 1 head cauliflower, chopped
• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• ⅛ cup raw pumpkin seeds
• ⅛ cup crushed nuts
• 1 avocado, sliced
• Seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, Italian herbs, nutritional yeast

Tahini Sauce

• ¼ cup tahini
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp miso paste
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• Salt to taste
• ⅓ cup warm water to thin

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 °F (200 °C).
2. Toss chickpeas, sweet potato, and cauliflower with oil + seasonings. Roast 35–45 min.
3. Cook quinoa per instructions.
4. Blend tahini sauce ingredients.
5. Assemble bowl, drizzle sauce, enjoy immediately.

Recipe & photo: Caroline Green Nutrition

✨ About Incora

At Incora, we believe the future of women’s health lies at the intersection of elegance, intelligence, and insight.

Our smart earrings are designed to track key biometrics like body temperature and heart rate variability, aligned with the natural rhythms of your cycle. They’ll give you real-time insight into how your body responds to stress, rest, movement, and nourishment.

Because better insights start with better data. And better data starts at the ear.