The Two Most Overlooked Habits for Nervous System Recovery
As a wellness expert, it always fascinates me to hear about the latest “trend” people are chasing to reset their bodies—or more importantly, their nervous systems. The sauna and ice bath rage, elaborate fasting, expensive gadgets—there’s no shortage of promises out there.
And let me be clear: I’m not against these things. Many of them do have benefits. But they’re not the foundation.
When we zoom out and look at what’s truly backed by science and actually accessible to everyone, two habits stand above the rest—and they’re often skipped because they take something that isn’t glamorous: real effort and real consistency.
And I can tell you firsthand—I’ve struggled with both of these my whole life and had to work hard to get them right.
1. Sleep: Your Nervous System’s Master Reset
Sleep isn’t just “rest.” It’s the time your body runs its deepest repair and cleanup processes—things that don’t happen efficiently when you’re awake.
Here’s what quality sleep actually does for you:
Supports the glymphatic system – This is your brain’s overnight cleaning crew. During deep sleep, your brain cells shrink slightly, creating space for cerebrospinal fluid to flow and flush out toxins, waste proteins, and metabolic buildup that accumulate while you’re awake. Without this, mental fog and slower cognitive processing build up.
Enhances lymphatic flow and cellular repair – Your lymphatic system doesn’t have a pump like your heart, so it relies on muscular movement and sleep-driven recovery to filter and drain waste from your tissues. This is critical for reducing inflammation and letting your muscles heal.
Balances your hormones and emotional regulation – Sleep regulates cortisol (stress hormone), supports healthy leptin and ghrelin levels (your hunger hormones), and boosts neurotransmitters that stabilize your mood.
And yet, sleep is the first thing most people compromise—because there’s so much nuance to it. Personally, I’ve dealt with a sleep disorder my entire life. As an adult, I became reliant on melatonin—something I still use occasionally—but the difference in how my body feels after a real, unassisted nine-hour sleep versus a night of supplemented sleep is huge.
To recalibrate your body and mind, start here: aim for 7–9 hours, keep your room cool and dark, and create a wind-down routine—light stretching, breathwork, or just turning off screens an hour before bed can make a dramatic difference.
2. Gentle Movement: Circulation Over Exhaustion
Surprisingly, the best way to recover isn’t always by doing nothing—it’s by moving, intentionally.
Even in sports medicine school, many professors advocated for gentle movement on “rest days.” Here’s why:
Gentle, low-impact movement:
Reduces inflammation by activating the lymphatic system and increasing blood flow, which helps transport inflammatory byproducts out of the muscles.
Improves circulation, delivering oxygen and nutrients to tissues so they can repair faster.
Calms the nervous system by combining slow, intentional movement with controlled breathing—signaling your body that it’s safe to recover rather than stay in stress mode.
Think walking, yoga, mobility work, or restorative Pilates—not high-intensity cardio. The goal is to nourish, not exhaust.