Cool Down and Restore

Why Summer Is the Perfect Time to Slow Down

(Especially when your nervous system is hotter than your car seats in July)

We often think of summer as the season to go-go-go—packed schedules, long days in the sun, vacations, BBQs, festivals, splash pads, and approximately 47 activities you didn’t plan but somehow ended up doing anyway.

But beneath all that brightness, your body may be whispering something very different:

Please… sit down. Cool me off. Stop making me do things.

Hot temperatures place extra demand on the body. Your nervous system works overtime trying to regulate temperature and hydration. That constant effort can leave you feeling more:

– tired
– tense
– overstimulated
– dehydrated
– emotionally reactive

Or all of the above, especially if you’ve spent one afternoon chasing a toddler around a splash park.

Even if your calendar is full of “fun,” your system may quietly be in overwhelm.

This is why summer is actually the ideal time to slow down—to cool, soften, and reset your entire body.

Ayurvedic Wisdom: Pitta Season

In Ayurveda, summer is ruled by Pitta—fire, heat, intensity, ambition, drive.

When Pitta rises, we often feel:

– inflammation
– irritability
– restlessness
– trouble sleeping
– tight muscles
– overheating physically and emotionally

In other words:
Summer is the season when even the calmest people start snapping like dehydrated houseplants.

Cooling, grounding, and slowing down aren’t luxuries this time of year—they’re medicine.

My Story: When I Finally Slowed Down

Last summer, I hit a wall.

I was a full-time mama, working whatever hours I could, taking Freya on weekend adventures, hosting guests, and saying yes to every invitation like it was my part-time job. From the outside, it looked like the perfect summer—sun-kissed skin, full days, lots of laughter.

But internally?

I was melting.
Literally and emotionally.

I was hot, irritable, chronically dehydrated, and sleeping poorly. My shoulders ached from lugging a paddleboard, carrying my toddler, and hauling picnic gear like a one-woman traveling circus. I started waking up already tired.

Then one afternoon, after a long hike with Freya, I came home, sat down with an icy cloth on the back of my neck—and cried.

Not from sadness.
Just… summer exhaustion.

In that moment, my body said,
“Ma’am, we are done.”

It was a wake-up call:
I didn’t need more summer.
I needed restoration.

So I shifted my rhythm.

I started soaking my feet in cold water at night.
I used peppermint-infused body oil after showers.
I built slow days into our week.
I even created a massage session just for myself—cooling, calming, replenishing… everything my body had been begging for.

And it changed everything.

I felt like I had finally returned to myself.

Signs You May Need a Summer Reset

If any of these sound familiar, congratulations—your body is politely waving a white flag:

– You wake up already tired
– You’re more irritable or overstimulated
– Your sleep is lighter or more restless
– Your muscles feel overworked
– You’re craving cold water, shade, or silence
– Your digestion feels “off”
– You feel emotionally overheated or quick to react

When the body overheats, the mind does too.
Also: if you’ve yelled “drink your water!” more times than you’ve actually drunk your water, that’s a sign.

Try This: A Simple Evening Cool-Down Ritual

Just a few minutes can shift everything:

– Rinse hands + feet in cool water
– Place a chilled cloth across your neck or chest
– Use peppermint or lavender oil on temples + shoulders
– Sit outside barefoot for 5 slow breaths
– Let the heat melt out of your body

If your whole system sighs with relief… your body is telling you something.

How Massage Supports Summer Wellness

Massage isn’t just relaxing—during summer, it's deeply therapeutic.

Cooling compresses → reduce inflammation + soothe sun-exposed skin
Lymphatic techniques → support hydration + gentle detoxification
Magnesium creams → ease heat-related fatigue + tight muscles
Nervous system reset work → calms emotional heat
Breathwork + stillness → cool the internal “fire” of Pitta season

Together, these tools help you feel lighter, calmer, and more in tune with your body.

My “Cool Down & Restore” Sessions

Inspired by that turning point in my own summer, these sessions are designed to calm and cool the body from the inside out—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Whether you’re:

– recovering from travel
– parenting in the heat
– overworking your summer muscles
– overstimulated by endless activity
– or just craving 60–90 quiet minutes of sanity

I’ve got you.

Come see me in Avon, or book an in-home session if resetting in your own space feels like the dream.

A Summer Reset for Body and Mind

Your nervous system deserves a break.

Your body deserves relief.

You deserve to feel good—not just get through the season.

Let’s cool down and come back to center—together.