14/10/2026
Beat the 3 to 4pm crashout with one of my faves from my Reset Toolkit. 🧰
When my boys were little, I realized that taking a few moments to de-stress before school pickup was key to my survival. My clinical social work background taught me how stress shows up in our bodies and behavior, like reaching for a snack, a scroll, or another task, when what we really need is a reset.
THE PRE-PICKUP / AFTERNOON RESET
1️⃣ Gargle
What: Plain water, any temperature, pinch of salt optional. Count to 20. Repeat 3 to 4 rounds.
Why: A randomized trial from Kyoto University found people who gargled water three times a day had about 40% lower risk of catching a cold. It also forces a slow, controlled exhale, which sets up step two.
2️⃣ Breathe
What: Three slow breaths, exhales longer than inhales.
Why: Slow breathing raises heart rate variability, a sign your nervous system is shifting toward calm, and has been shown to improve mood.
3️⃣ Sip
What: A cup of tea, sitting down. No phone.
Why: The pause gives you space to notice how you’re feeling. Hungry? Or frazzled?
The myth: You’ll hear gargling “tones your vagus nerve.” That hasn’t been proven, yet. Much of that idea traces to Stephen Porges and polyvagal theory, which researchers have challenged on HOW it explains the nervous system. What does hold up: slow breathing calms your stress response.
The catch: This reset is only as good as how often you use it.
The benefits build with practice which means that if you’re my client, you need to use reset tools daily, not just for bad days.
I’ll always tell you what’s proven and what’s social media hype. Try it before pickup to stave off the 3 to 4pm slump, after lunch, or even at bedtime, and tell me what you think. 👇
Sources:
Satomura K, et al. Am J Prev Med. 2005;29(4):302-7.
Laborde S, et al. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2022;138:104711.
Balban MY, et al. Cell Rep Med. 2023;4(1):100895.
