16. The 30-Second Tool to Calm Anxiety

Feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or stuck in your head? In this episode, Kate Garland shares a simple 30-second practice to calm your nervous system and reconnect with your body—using nothing but your own voice. Kate also shares:🔹 Why the advice to “just take a deep breath” might actually be doing you harm🔹 The physiological link between sound, breath, and emotional regulation🔹 Research-backed benefits of humming and chanting on heart rate, blood pressure, and brain activity🔹 How to use humming discreetly in everyday life—even if using your voice feels awkward or vulnerableWhether you're new to nervous system work or deep in your healing journey, this episode offers a soft, accessible invitation:Let your voice be medicine.🔗 Resources & Links:Join Kate’s email list for weekly tools + updates: radicallykate.comRelated studies mentioned:Weitzberg & Lundberg (2002) on nitric oxide and hummingBernardi et al. (2001) on mantra and heart rate variabilityKalyani et al. (2011) on chanting and amygdala deactivationPolyvagal Theory by Stephen Porges📣 Share this episode with a friend who needs to remember that relief can be simple, gentle, and self-led.★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Not sure where to begin?Feeling overwhelmed or stuck in your head?Get my free 7-minute Anxiety Reset.A simple audio practice to help you calm your body and think more clearly.Feel like your old life no longer fits?Listen to The Second Firing.A free private podcast series for women navigating midlife transitions, reinvention, and the questions that won't leave them alone.Ready for personal support?Book a Threshold Session.A private 75-minute session to help you understand what's happening and identify your next right step.Instagram: @radicallykate