Small Shifts, Big Brain Gains–Think Better, Live Brighter
by Dr. Athena Payne
The Real Talk Corner
Why Your "Healthy" Habits Might Be Backfiring
The Over-Aroused Brain
Hey there, Let's be real for a minute. You're doing all the "right" things—meal prepping on Sundays, squeezing in those 5 AM workouts, taking your supplements like clockwork. But here's what I keep seeing in my practice: high-achieving women who are health-conscious but still feel... off.
Here's the thing your wellness podcasts won't tell you: your brain type determines whether those habits are helping or hurting you.
The Over-Aroused Brain (that's you if you're wired but tired):
Your 6 AM HIIT class? It's adding stress to an already overstimulated nervous system
Those cold showers everyone raves about? They're ramping up your fight-or-flight response
Even your green smoothies might be backfiring if they're loaded with stimulating ingredients
What to try instead:
Swap intense morning workouts for gentle walks or yoga
Replace cold therapy with warm baths with Epsom salts
Trade your spinach-heavy smoothies for grounding root vegetables in your meals
The Under-Aroused Brain
The Under-Aroused Brain (hello, chronic fatigue and brain fog):
Your meditation practice might be making you more sluggish
Gentle yoga could be reinforcing that low-energy state
Your calm, quiet environment might need more stimulation
What to try instead:
Add upbeat music to your morning routine
Try energizing breathwork (like Wim Hof method)
Include bright lights and citrus scents in your workspace
I've seen this pattern countless times—brilliant women doing everything "right" according to general wellness advice, but their specific brain type needs something totally different.
Your 5-minute action step this week: Pay attention to how you feel AFTER your wellness routines. Energized? Drained? Anxious? Your body is giving you data about what works for YOUR nervous system.
The Science Made Simple
Your Nervous System's Daily Report Card
Understanding Your Nervous System
Okay, let's talk about something most health providers completely miss: your nervous system is constantly grading how well you're handling life. And unlike your high school report cards, this one actually matters for your day-to-day experience.
Here's how it works:
Your autonomic nervous system has two main modes:
Sympathetic (gas pedal): Fight, flight, or get stuff done
Most high-achievers I work with are stuck in sympathetic overdrive. Your nervous system thinks you're being chased by a tiger... but really you're just responding to Slack notifications.
The Daily Check-In Method
The Daily Check-In Method I Teach My Patients:
Morning Assessment (Rate 1-10):
Energy level upon waking
Mental clarity
Physical tension in jaw/shoulders
Emotional state (calm vs. reactive)
Midday Reset:
Notice: Are you holding your breath?
Check: Jaw clenched? Shoulders up by your ears?
Reset: 3 deep belly breaths, soften your face
Evening Reflection:
How reactive were you to stressors today?
Did you feel present during conversations?
What was your body craving? (Rest? Movement? Connection?)
Interpreting Your Data
What This Data Tells You:
Consistently low morning energy + high evening anxiety = Over-aroused nervous system
Brain fog + emotional numbness + craving stimulants = Under-aroused nervous system
Swinging between wired and exhausted = Unstable nervous system
Feeling balanced most days with occasional stress spikes = Healthy adaptive nervous system
The game-changer: Once you know your pattern, you can work WITH your nervous system instead of against it.
This week's experiment: Track your nervous system "grades" for 7 days. No judgment, just data. You'll start noticing patterns that can guide your self-care choices.
Understanding Your Brain Type
Understanding your unique brain type is the first step toward creating wellness routines that actually work for you. Most high-achieving women fall into the over-aroused category, constantly pushing themselves without adequate recovery time. By identifying your specific pattern, you can tailor your approach to health in a way that supports rather than depletes your nervous system.
The Implementation Station
Your 10-Minute Morning Brain Reset
Minutes 1-3: Nervous System Check-In
Before grabbing your phone, place one hand on your chest, one on your belly
Take 5 slow breaths, feeling which hand moves more
Ask: "What does my body need right now?" (Really listen for the answer)
Minutes 4-6: Brain Type-Specific Movement
If you're feeling wired/anxious:
Gentle neck rolls (5 each direction)
Shoulder blade squeezes (10 reps)
Cat-cow stretches on the floor (1 minute)
If you're feeling sluggish/foggy:
20 jumping jacks or high knees
Arm circles (10 forward, 10 backward)
Quick walk around your house or yard
If you're somewhere in between:
Standing forward fold with bent knees
Gentle spinal twists (seated or standing)
10 slow squats with deep breathing
Minutes 7-9: Brain Activation
Name 5 things you can see, 4 you can hear, 3 you can touch, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste
This grounds your nervous system and activates present-moment awareness
Set ONE realistic intention for the day (not a to-do list, just one way you want to FEEL)
Minute 10: Gratitude + Permission
Name one thing you're genuinely grateful for (not what you "should" be grateful for)
Give yourself permission for one thing today: to rest when tired, to say no, to eat lunch away from your desk, to not be perfect
Why This Works: This routine hits all the major nervous system regulation points: Interoception (awareness of internal body signals), Movement matched to your current state, Grounding through sensory awareness, Intention without overwhelm, Permission to be human
The Real-Life Version: Look, some mornings you'll nail this. Others, you'll do the breathing in your car before a meeting. Both count. The goal isn't perfection—it's building a relationship with your nervous system.
Your challenge: Try this for one week. Notice which parts feel most helpful for YOUR specific brain type. Then customize it. Maybe you need more movement, or longer breathing, or a different grounding technique. Your nervous system will tell you what works.
P.S. If you find yourself saying "I don't have 10 minutes," that's exactly when you need this most. Start with just the breathing check-in. Something is always better than nothing.
Meeting Your Body Where It Actually Is
Here's what I've learned after years of working with high-achievers: we've been approaching health backwards. When something feels off in our bodies, our first instinct is to immediately reach for what we WANT to feel—more energy, better sleep, less pain. But here's the thing: you can't pull your desired state closer if you're fighting against where you currently are.
Think about it like this: if your nervous system is stuck in overdrive (anxiety, insomnia, jaw tension), and you immediately start doing "calming" practices while secretly resisting the fact that you're anxious... you're creating more tension, not less.
The resistance shows up as:
Falling back into old habits because "that's what worked before" (but you burned out or it had temporary results)
Working against your body's rhythm due to impatience for the results you want
Sticking with routines that feel "normal" even when they're not serving you
Following advice that worked for others instead of listening to your body's signals
Trying to force your body into a different state instead of understanding why it's protecting you
The shift: Start by acknowledging exactly where your nervous system is right now. Not where it was last month, not where you want it to be next month. Right here, right now. Only then can you gently guide it toward what you truly want.
Brain-Based Treatment Spotlight @ RHWC:
The Brain Tap
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What's Next?
How can the Brain-Based Assessment help me?
If you're reading this thinking, "This makes sense, but I need help figuring out MY specific brain type and what my nervous system actually needs," you're in the right place. Our Brain-Based Assessment at RHWC takes the guesswork out of wellness. Instead of trying every trend hoping something will stick, you get a personalized roadmap based on how YOUR brain actually functions.
How do I learn more about the assessment process?
Curious about what that might look like for you? Text BRAIN to 817-731-4848 to learn more about our assessment process. Or if you're ready to dive deeper, visit us at rhwcenter.com to schedule your consultation.
Is this approach right for me?
Remember: You're not broken. You're just operating with incomplete information about how your specific nervous system works best. Here's to your brain and body finally being on the same team, Dr. Athena Payne 🤝
How can I share this information with others?
P.S. - Got a friend who might benefit from this? Forward this newsletter their way. Sometimes the best gift is helping someone realize they're not alone in feeling "off" despite doing everything "right."