A few days after returning from a recent holiday, I sat down at my desk feeling very overwhelmed and scattered.
My to-do list suddenly felt impossible, I couldn’t decide what to prioritize with so many things that needed to get done, and within minutes I noticed my shoulders creeping toward my ears. My stomach had tied itself into a knot, my breathing was shallow, and my attention kept jumping from one unfinished task to the next.
I wasn’t in danger. But my nervous system thought I was.
It’s a feeling I know well, and one I hear about from clients all the time.
“I feel overwhelmed by everything I need to do.”
And when that happens, our instinct is often to try and think our way through it. To make another list (which I naturally did first), push a little harder, or convince ourselves we’ll feel better once everything is crossed off.
The problem is that when our nervous system is already overwhelmed, more thinking and pushing through rarely creates more clarity.
Instead, I encourage people (and myself) to start somewhere much simpler.
Start with the body.
One of the beautiful things about the nervous system is that communication flows both ways. An overwhelmed mind creates physical tension, but changing your physical state also sends reassuring signals back to the brain. Sometimes supporting the body is the quickest way to support the mind.
These are three tiny practices I come back to again and again whenever life starts feeling a little too loud. They’re also some of the same simple techniques I regularly share with clients during private yoga and sound healing sessions here in Cape Town.
1. Sama Vritti Pranayama (Box Breathing): Calm Your Nervous System with Breath
This is one of the first practices I reach for whenever I notice my mind feeling scattered or tension in my belly.
In Sanskrit, Sama Vritti means equal ratio, and that’s exactly what this breathing technique offers, a steady, predictable rhythm that gently brings both body and mind back into balance.
How to practice
Either sitting down or laying down. I personally prefer to lay down because it helps to relax my belly but sitting in a chair or in a seated yoga posture works too.
- Inhale through your nose for a count of four.
- Hold for four. (*belly is full of air)
- Exhale slowly through your nose for four.
- Hold again for four. (*belly is empty)
Repeat for 5 minutes. Set a timer on your phone. You may even find yourself wanting to stay with it a little longer as your breathing becomes slower and deeper.
Why it works
When we’re overwhelmed, our minds naturally bounce from one thought to another. The simple act of counting gives your analytical mind one thing to focus on instead of ten. Rather than spiraling through a to-do list, your attention becomes anchored to your breath.
The equal rhythm you are counting, together with the gentle pauses between each inhale and exhale, encourages your nervous system to slow down and settle. Breathing through your nose naturally promotes slower, diaphragmatic breathing while increasing the production of nitric oxide which is a remarkable molecule produced in the nasal passages that supports healthy oxygen exchange and blood flow throughout the body.
Within just a few minutes, I notice my shoulders and belly soften and my breathing deepens.
Afterwards, I always feel better, my thoughts feel clearer and less scattered.
2. Somatic Shaking: Release Stress Through Movement
This practice surprises people the most, but it’s one of the quickest ways I know to interrupt the build-up of stress in the body.
Have you ever noticed how a dog gives itself a full-body shake after an exciting or stressful moment? That instinctive movement helps release physical tension before it lingers. As humans, we naturally have this ability too, although many of us have learned to suppress it.
When I notice stress building in my own body, I’ll often step away from my desk, put on a specific song, and simply shake.
How to practice
- Stand with your feet about hip-width apart.
- Begin by gently bouncing through your knees.
- Allow the movement to ripple through your ankles, legs, hips, spine, shoulders, arms, hands, jaw, and even your face.
There is no choreography. There is no right or wrong. Simply let your body move however it wants to move.
Continue for five to ten minutes while breathing naturally. I do this regularly in the gym inside the group classrooms when they aren’t being used. I can roll out a yoga mat, do ten minutes of shaking and continue with soft tissue exercises using a foam roller.
Why it works
Stress isn’t only something we think, it becomes something we physically carry. Our muscles tighten, our posture changes, and many traditions like yoga or Traditional Chinese medicine describe our energy becoming stagnant or blocked. Think of a kinked garden hose when the water cannot pass through. Many traditions describe this as stagnation in the body’s energy, almost like a kink in a garden hose that prevents water from flowing freely. Whether you think about it physically, energetically, or both, shaking can help restore a greater sense of ease and flow.
Gentle shaking encourages those physical and energetic holding patterns to soften and release. As the body begins to feel lighter and more spacious, the mind often follows.
I love this practice because it reminds us that we don’t always have to think our way out of overwhelm. Our body is made to be in motion and we can move it out of overwhelm with the right practices.
3. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani): A Restorative Yoga Pose for Stress Relief
This is one of the yoga postures I recommend most often to clients. It asks almost nothing from your body, you don’t even need a yoga mat or yoga outfit, yet it can feel incredibly nourishing after a demanding day.
Find a clear wall, or a bed if it’s against the wall, and swing your legs up, and allow your arms to rest comfortably by your sides or on your belly. If your hamstrings feel tight, simply move your hips a little further away from the wall.
Stay here for five to ten minutes. Even if it’s in the living room with Netflix streaming, you will reap the benefits.
Why it works
Elevating your legs above your heart encourages healthy circulation and supports the natural movement of lymphatic fluid back toward the centre of the body. Many people notice a welcome feeling of lightness in their legs afterwards, particularly if they’ve spent the day sitting, standing, travelling, or exercising.
Perhaps even more importantly, this posture asks your body to do absolutely nothing. For many people, this posture also offers gentle relief for the lower back by allowing the muscles around the hips and spine to soften without having to work against gravity.
The absence of effort becomes part of the medicine. It’s simply gravity and time doing the work.
It sends a gentle message to your nervous system that it’s safe to rest. Whenever I notice tension gathering or bloating and puffiness in my body, this is often where I finish. By the time I stand up, I usually feel calmer, clearer, and much more like myself again.
Small Practices. Lasting Change.
One of the biggest misconceptions I see in the wellness world is the belief that we need an elaborate daily routine to feel better.
People imagine they need a full hour or more, the perfect yoga mat or outfit, complete silence, and enough discipline to do everything perfectly. In reality, the most sustainable practice is usually the simplest one. Choose the one that feels most accessible today.
Practice it regularly, not only when you’re feeling overwhelmed, but also when life feels relatively calm. Over time, your nervous system begins to recognize that familiar pattern. The breath, the movement, or the posture becomes a cue that it’s safe to soften. Like many wellness practices, the benefits deepen through consistency rather than intensity. You don’t have to do everything, you simply have to begin and be consistent.
Creating Consistency
The next time you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by everything on your plate, pause before trying to think your way through it.
Notice your breath. Notice your body (shoulders, belly, back etc.). Then choose one tiny practice. Supporting your nervous system doesn’t always require an hour-long routine.
Whether you’re practicing at home or joining me for a private session in Cape Town, it can begin with a few conscious breaths, a gentle shake, or five quiet minutes with your legs resting up the wall.
Small, consistent acts of care have a remarkable way of changing not only how we feel in the moment, but also how we move through the demands of everyday life.
Continue Your Journey
If you’d like to explore these practices more deeply, here are a few places to begin:
Explore the Online Studio for guided yoga, breathwork, meditation, and nervous system practices you can enjoy from anywhere.
Book a Private Yoga or Sound Healing Session in Cape Town for personalized one-to-one support tailored to your unique needs.
Read More Articles to learn more about nervous system regulation, yoga, breathwork, and holistic wellbeing.
About the Author
Sarah Savidge is the founder of Moksha Wellness and an American-born yoga teacher, sound healing practitioner, and health coach now based in Cape Town. With over 10 years of international teaching experience and more than 1,100 hours of training, she helps busy people regulate their nervous systems through yoga, breathwork, meditation, and therapeutic sound.
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