Snap out of a slump with micro-habits, a psychology tool + an herb for stress

THE routine that helps me, EVERY time!

Hello Friends,

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Recently, I discussed how coming off the high (or low) of your holiday season can be a bit of a mental and emotional roller coaster (and how journaling can help). Today I want to follow up by sharing some healthy micro-habits to help you gently make progress towards feeling your best, at any time of the year. That said, I also want to acknowledge that negative emotions serve an important purpose and, despite the discomfort, should always be handled with love and proper consideration.

Why “micro”?

In my own experience, sometimes anything more than “micro” can feel… unmanageable. Also, micro-habits may be more sustainable than grander efforts. This particular micro-habit compilation is aimed at health…. because, wellbeing is vital to avoiding a slump in the first place - An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

Pulling oneself up by the bootstraps (in a gentle, healthy way) is skill I think we all need from time to time. How deep or often we fall into the trenches seems to vary greatly from person to person - ranging from a minor case of the “Mondays” creeping in the back of your mind, to a debilitating downward spiral that has you eating cookies and Häagen-Dazs in your pajamas in the middle of the day.

In my experience, the frequency and severity of a mental slump is in direct relation to one’s overall wellness and, it just might be a cue that something is out of balance.

From a holistic or “whole-istic” point of view, all bodily systems work together and depend on each other. Therefore, ‘out of balance’ could be anything from an unhealthy relationship, a junk food binge, to over-exercising.

Everything that is connected is affected…

for better or worse.

I mentioned this concept in a recent video post and go into some detail about why this is good news (!) when it comes to making positive changes. When we consider our biology from a wholistic perspective, connections can be made between symptoms as seemingly insignificant as acne and as life-altering as depression. Our health is always giving us feedback however, most of us haven’t been taught to listen.

Quieting and listening to our body is the best prevention for sickness, burnout, dis-ease and… slumps!

Here at Cup Half Full slow living is mentioned a lot (because it’s that awesome) and it’s worth saying again that it’s a wonderful facilitator of the pace and the pauses necessary to regularly evaluate our state of vitality. My slumps, though rare and brief now, are almost always trigged when self-care and slow living rituals have been lacking for some time.

Good news: As health improves, resilience to stress (and slumps!) increases! This takes time, introspection, and experimentation - often in the form of trying on micro-habits for size, seeing what works and, which ones we can piece together as a stepping stones path to bigger health goals and living in alignment with (our) nature.

Below, I’ve listed and explained a sampling of tried and trusted micro-habits in the form of an easy evening-to-morning ritual that I actually use. Each only requires a couple of minutes and they do not need to be done together - most can be done at any time of day but I find it helpful to utilise them together as a sort of protocol or ritual for when I need a boost.

The goal of these specific suggestions is to address both the physical and psychological aspects of slumps. What do I mean by physical and psychological? Simply that ‘slumps’ often originate from something internal or external that stresses our being.

Stress can originate in the psychological realm (relationships, overstimulation, etc.) or in the physical body (inflammation and dysregulation). Similarly we may feel the effects of a slump both psychologically (lack of will power) and physically (lack of energy).

The mind can follow the body and so says the science - if we can’t talk ourselves into better state, a physical action or change can do the trick. In psychology, the concept of priming is what occurs when we have two separate experiences that we have linked in our mind as related, a sort of special creative twist our brain performs, in which the first experience influences the second. There are loads of psychological studies on priming (and also several kinds of priming for that matter) with likely most famous of them looking at exposure to physical warmth (holding something warm vs cold) and finding that it correlated with people showing greater generosity towards others immediately afterward (Williams, L. E., & Bargh, J. A., 2008). Visualisation, also a form of priming, has been correlated with better performance in athletes.

Priming (along with the other research-backed micro-habits I explain below) can be harnessed in our application of micro-habits, to help us have a positive outlook, boost performance - and SNAP OUT OF A SLUMP fast!

How does this work? Well… it’s basically performing a micro-habit that you perceive as a positive experience. What are some super quick and easy things that bring you a little sense of joy or accomplishment? Something as simple as looking at a photograph of a beach long enough to subtly immerse in it can subsequently have an effect on positivity and perceptions in interactions (Blackwell, S. E., et al., 2015). Another often suggested micro-habit is to start with one easy task that gives a sense of accomplishment: make your bed…or carry out a similar SMALL feat. Have fun experimenting to know what works best for you.

As for me:

The routine that helps me, every time:

🌟Start with a cup of Lemon Balm tea. Herbalists and crunchy moms (like me) have been using herbs for ages to naturally help with ailments. Unlike pharmaceutical counterparts, medicinal herbs contain active constituents alongside helpful natural substances and additionally provide the body with phytonutrients, antioxidants, and more. This is NOT to say that there cannot be adverse effects from natural remedies and any herb, just like any drug, should be: taken with caution, not used if there are contraindications, and discontinued entirely if adverse reactions occur. That said, lemon balm is known to be a relatively safe herb, however it is not recommended for those with thyroid issues, pregnant, or breastfeeding. It can be taken daily but I would suggest consulting an herbalist, naturopathic or functional medicine doctor for prolonged use.

Lemon balm is wonderful for sleep, relaxation, and to boost mood.

I have it 1-2 hours before going to bed and I swear it makes my sleep deeper and my dreams vivid and peaceful. This herbal tea is caffeine free, easy to prepare, affordable, and you will likely start to feel it working within an hour! Use about 4-5 fresh leaves for 1 cup, or about a teaspoon of dried lemon balm, I recommend this one as a loose leaf tea… or if you’re local to the Pacific Northwest, this one is from a small company that I love and have used for years, also loose leaf. Brew it up before bedtime for restful sleep or anytime you’re feeling a little down.

Fun fact: Lemon balm is really easy to grow!

Also, I’m a sucker for pretty things, so I personally get an extra dollop of joy from brewing herbal teas in this tea pot and watching it steep. Lastly, it’s best to use a stainless steel tea ball (I love this one )or mesh strainer because tea bags (except for those made of cloth) leach tons of micro-plastics!

🌟Oxytocin boost. As I settle in for the night and let my tea start working, I try to get a little oxytocin (aka the love hormone) flowing by reading something heartwarming, which for me is almost anything animal-related. Lately it’s James Harriet’s All Creatures Great & Small, a favourite since childhood.

Alternatively, I play with or cuddle my pets, and if that’s not an option, I watch a few minutes of cute animal videos. I know, I know… being near the TV, phone, or laptop near bedtime is NOT ideal for a number of reasons but let’s be real: this is an intervention, not an everyday thing. AND watching ducklings splash and pudgy puppies toddle is not the same as doom scrolling! In fact, I avoid social media apps and go straight for the search bar on YouTube or Pinterest so that I can limit what is shown to me and watch ONLY cute animals for a few minutes. Not surprisingly, there is scientific evidence that precisely this (admiring cute animals in person or on a screen) is good for reducing stress and boosting mood. Check out this article by the University of Leeds.

Some of my cuddlesome friends. L to R: Mango, Clementine, Freddy, & Leo

🌟Priming. I find it most powerful to do a visualisation priming exercise right before bed and then a series of priming micro-habits first thing when I wake up. I prepare by spending exactly 2 minutes tidying my room. Not more, not less. It allows me to feel a tiny sense of accomplishment and relaxation that comes from a neat(er) space. Then, go to bed early!

Before falling asleep, I try to visualise the next day going well, with as much detail as I can muster. Especially if I’m feeling out of sorts, I visualise waking up with enthusiasm and zeal for the day, making my bed, and how nice it feels to sit by the window and sip that first cup of tea. I may also visualise activities that I could do tomorrow in the near future: buying flowers, having an interesting conversation with a colleague, or going on a hike with my family. I think it’s important to think of things that are realistic and not just day dreaming/wishful thinking - as that can actually have the opposite effect. Visualising is also a great way to stop catastrophizing at night and put yourself in a positive dreamy state before falling asleep.

The next morning (before I have time to talk myself out of it) I do the following:

🌟Rise with the sun. The sun is largely forgotten about in modern healthcare but is SO important for feeling good and staying healthy, as light is a regulator of hormones and our circadian rhythm. Numerous studies can attest to the power of getting natural morning light but, unfortunately it can take decades before research findings reach mainstream medicine practices. A few minutes to an hour of being outside each morning is ideal, however, any time of day is better than none, yes, even on cloudy days. If you’re struggling to get outside regularly, try getting creative to find a solution: I often take my work and/or meals outside if possible - even in winter!

🌟Drink electrolyte water. Our bodies are composed of over 60% water and our brains contain even more than that! Most people are chronically dehydrated and don’t know it because they have grown accustomed to the side effects. Just staying hydrated can be a game-changer in how you feel and perform.

I’ll always cherish (and chuckle at) the memory of the time my dad, an avid dirt biker, called me up from a motocross track in the middle of nowhere just to tell me how flabbergasted he was that “just drinking” had remarkably improved his energy and post-race muscle recovery. ….I’d only been telling him for YEARS.

How to make your own electrolyte drink? Just add a pinch of mineral rich Himalayan salt, a squeeze of lemon, and maybe a dab of raw honey to your water and adjust for taste. For on the go you can use a pre-made electrolyte mix - just be aware of the quality. I’m pretty picky about ingredients and flavour: here’s one I can truly recommend. Or, if you are making your own, try this mineral rich salt and high quality raw honey from Rango’s or Eisele’s. Even better would be to get honey from your local bee farmer and it’s worth learning about that often the honey you buy at the supermarket is NOT what it’s advertised to be(e). 😉

🌟Gargle or sing. A minute or two of loud singing or gargling is enough to stimulate a nerve that can help your central nervous system and body to relax. Confession: I had been singing in the shower for years (because I’m that person) before I discovered this is actually health promoting! Both of these activities stimulate the vagus nerve that runs through the throat and essentially connects the brain and body, making up a huge part of the parasympathetic nervous system (think rest, relax, digest mode). Increasing ‘vagal tone’ is a simple neurology hack that will help your system restore balance by switching out of sympathetic fight-flight/freeze-fawn states. Pro tip: gargling or singing in the shower is more fun.

🌟Cool off. Cold exposure has many health benefits, including improving mood and, you don’t have to expose your whole body. In fact, for some people cold plunging may not be completely safe or ideal, so best to do your research and check with your doctor before trying it. However, a “micro” form of cold exposure that still carries many of the benefits is to: cool the sides of your neck for a few seconds. In a recent study, Canikli Adıgüzel, S., et al. (2023) found this approach not only provided relaxation but also reduced pain in patients undergoing a medical procedure. Another study showed that brief neck cooling reduced markers of systemic inflammation in rats (Zhang, A. Y., et al., 2021). Pretty cool! …puns intended 😉

Many around the world have caught on to cold therapy and are taking cold showers, or (my personal favourite) getting out into the beauty of the wild and going ice swimming! Over here in Europe, the lovely Jonna Jinton has made a beautiful short video about this. Prepare to be transported into nature’s tranquility:

🌟Make a 1 minute gratitude list. Write down 5 things you can be grateful for right now, big or small, and reflect on these things for a brief moment. Often just starting this will inspire more ideas to flow and pretty soon a list of 25+ is easy peasy. In my post about my journey with the slow living lifestyle, I mention Ann Voskamp’s book 1000 Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. It’s a beautiful illustration of how the simple act of gratitude listing, as a daily micro-habit, can have life changing-effects.

🌟Consider a holistic wellness treatment or a check-up. Been a while since you’ve been to the acupuncturist, naturopath, chiropractor, or therapist etc? Remember, you might be feeling off due to your body trying to tell you something. Having the trained eyes of a professional on us can usually help sort out what’s out of sorts more efficiently. AND, physical treatments (acupuncture, massage, chiropractic…) tend to leave you feeling better right away.

I sincerely hope this is helpful to you!

Try it out or mix/match/add/subtract as you please to make it your own.

Let me know if you try implementing any of these or share your favourite micro-habits for feeling good!

As always, thank you for reading,

xx Chesica

DISCLAIMER: The information provided on Cup Half Full is intended for educational and informational purposes only and not intended to take the place of medical advice or care. Please consult a qualified health care professional for your health concerns.

References

Blackwell, S. E., Rius-Ottenheim, N., Schulte-van Maaren, Y. W., Carlier, I. V., Middelkoop, V. D., Zitman, F. G., Spinhoven, P., Holmes, E. A., & Giltay, E. J. (2013). Optimism and mental imagery: a possible cognitive marker to promote well-being?. Psychiatry research, 206(1), 56–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2012.09.047

Breit, S., Kupferberg, A., Rogler, G., & Hasler, G. (2018). Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders. Frontiers in psychiatry, 9, 44. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044

Canikli Adıgüzel, S., Akyurt, D., Ültan Özgen, G., Bahadır Altun, H., Çakır, A., Süren, M., & Okan, İ. (2023). The Effect of Cold Application to the Lateral Neck Area on Peripheral Vascular Access Pain: A Randomised Controlled Study. Journal of clinical medicine, 12(19), 6273. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12196273

Ghazizadeh, J., Sadigh-Eteghad, S., Marx, W., Fakhari, A., Hamedeyazdan, S., Torbati, M., Taheri-Tarighi, S., Araj-khodaei, M., & Mirghafourvand, M. (2021). The effects of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) on depression and anxiety in clinical trials: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytotherapy Research, 35(12), 6690–6705. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.7252

Jungmann, M., Vencatachellum, S., Van Ryckeghem, D., & Vögele, C. (2018). Effects of Cold Stimulation on Cardiac-Vagal Activation in Healthy Participants: Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR formative research, 2(2), e10257. https://doi.org/10.2196/10257

Williams, L. E., & Bargh, J. A. (2008). Experiencing physical warmth promotes interpersonal warmth. Science (New York, N.Y.), 322(5901), 606–607. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1162548

Zhang, A. Y., Marsh, K. M., Rastogi, R., Wu, D., Charles, E. J., Kron, I. L., Sawyer, R. G., & Yang, Z. (2021). Topical Neck Cooling Prolongs Survival of Rats with Intra-Abdominal Feculent Sepsis by Activation of the Vagus Nerve. International journal of molecular sciences, 22(18), 9828. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22189828