How Your Mode Shapes Your Mood

Who this post is for

If you constantly feel tired even after a full night of sleep, deal with brain fog, struggle to focus, or just feel off, this post is for you. Maybe you’re not as happy as you want to be, or you’re fighting through stress and low moods. Understanding your nervous system can help explain why, and more importantly, how to start feeling better.

When I talk to friends about stress, burnout and fatigue, I usually ask how they regulate their nervous system. Most of the time I get a confused look and a reply like, “what do you mean?” That’s when I start rambling about the sympathetic and parasympathetic modes. The problem is, when we’re out having fun, those words sound too technical and I can see eyes start to glaze over. So I asked ChatGPT to take one of my blog posts about the nervous system and why it’s important to regulate it throughout the day, but explain it in a way a 2nd grader could understand. Here’s what it came up with.

Think of your body like a car. It has two gears.
One gear is “Go, Go, Go!” and the other is “Slow and Chill.”
Which gear you’re in changes how you feel, almost like background music for your mind. Imagine listening to the same high intensity song 24/7. The kind of music you listen to at the gym or during a run, but all day and night. That's the first mode.

When You’re in “Go, Go, Go!” Mode (Sympathetic)

Your body pumps out chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol, which is the stress hormone.
This gets you ready to move fast.

• At first it feels good. You feel alert, focused, and full of energy.

• Perfect for sports, meeting deadlines, or handling a sudden problem.

But if you stay in this mode too long, the music changes.

• Alert turns into anxious.

• You might feel jumpy, restless, or always on edge.

• Small problems feel huge because your body’s stuck looking for danger.

When You’re in “Slow and Chill” Mode (Parasympathetic)

This is your body’s recovery gear. Stress chemicals go quiet.

• You feel safe, calm, and at ease.

• Your mind unclenches.

• It’s easier to laugh, connect, and think clearly.

This is where you heal, create, and feel good in your body.

What Happens If You Stay in “Go, Go, Go!” Mode Too Long?

It’s like driving a car with the gas pedal pressed down all the time.
The engine overheats. Eventually, it breaks.

For humans, that’s called chronic stress or burnout.

Emotional and Mental Burnout:

• Constant worry or panic

• Short fuse and quick anger

• Brain fog and poor focus

• Everyday tasks feel like impossible mountains

Physical Problems:

• Trouble sleeping, tired but wired

• Stomach aches and digestion issues

• Weaker immune system that makes you sick more often

• Deep fatigue that rest doesn’t fix

How to Switch Into “Slow and Chill” Mode

The good news is you can help your body switch gears on purpose. Here are some ways:

1. Breathe with Hinoki Oil

   • Put a drop of diluted hinoki oil in your palms, rub together, breathe in. Or, smell directly from the bottle without it touching your nose directly. 

   • Inhale through your nose for 4. Hold for 7. Exhale for 8. This is called the 4-7-8 breathing method. 

   • Do this 5 to 10 times. The scent plus slow breath tells your brain you’re safe.

2. Cold Water Reset

   • Splash cold water on your face or take a quick cold shower.

   • This triggers your body’s “diving reflex,” slowing your heart rate right away.

3. Gentle Movement

   • Stretch, do yoga, or just move slowly.

   • When your muscles relax, your brain follows.

4. Hum, Sing, or Gargle

   • The vibration in your throat wakes up the vagus nerve, which turns on calm mode.

5. Be in Nature

   • Just 15 to 20 minutes in a park lowers stress chemicals and steadies your heart.

   • Forests are even more powerful, which is why hinoki is at the core of our functional scents.

6. Body Scan or Mindfulness

   • Close your eyes. Notice your toes, then legs, then chest, all the way up to your head.

   • This grounds your mind in the present, not in anxious thoughts.

Balance Is the Goal

“Go, Go, Go!” mode isn’t bad. You need it for action and challenge.
But after that push, you’ve got to help your body switch back into “Slow and Chill.”

That’s where you recover, grow stronger, and build calm momentum.

Calm isn’t the opposite of performance. Calm is performance.