S8- Ep. 2: Why Slowing Down Makes You More Anxious

Slowing down is supposed to feel calming. For many women, it does the opposite.In this episode, Leah explains why rest can increase anxiety instead of relieving it, especially for women with a history of dieting, overtraining, chronic stress, or living in constant pressure. You’ll learn how the nervous system adapts to prolonged activation, why movement and productivity can become primary regulation tools, and how rest intolerance develops at a physiological level.Leah breaks down the core education behind Empowered Foundations, including regulation, nourishment, recovery, and capacity building, and explains why forcing rest or “doing less” rarely works without first stabilizing the system underneath. This episode connects the dots between stress hormones, energy availability, training load, recovery debt, and why so many women feel better pushing and worse stopping, even when they are exhausted.If you’ve ever felt restless when you slow down, calmer after pushing yourself, or confused about why rest doesn’t work the way it should, this conversation will help you understand your body with clarity instead of self blame, and show you what actually needs to come first for sustainable change.Empowered Foundations is a 12 week coaching container designed to stabilize health habits, unlearn diet culture, and reset your relationship with food, movement, and rest at the nervous system level.FOLLOW US:Instagram: @LeahHantmanCoachingBOOK a FREE Call to Explore Coachinghttps://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/c1499aac/appointment/21465598/calendar/5295072?appointmentTypeIds[]=21465598