✨ Protest Aftercare Mini Guide
Protest — whether in the streets or online — can awaken your fire and stretch your system.
Even beautiful action can leave your body humming, frozen, exhausted, or overstimulated.
This guide is here to help you land softly, metabolize what you witnessed, and reconnect with yourself.
💧 1. Hydrate & Nourish
You burned through reserves — even if you didn’t march far.
Replenish with cool water, electrolytes, and simple foods that feel grounding.
Chew slowly. Let your body catch up to your day.
💡 Warm tip: Add a pinch of sea salt and a squeeze of lemon to your water if you don't have electrolytes handy.
🌬️ 2. Downshift Your Breath
Overstimulation often shortens or holds your breath.
Try this:
👉 Inhale for 4
👉 Exhale for 6
👉 Repeat 5 timesOr just sigh audibly. A lot. Sighing is free, ancient regulation.
🧠 3. Name What’s Real
The nervous system calms when we name things concretely.
Say aloud:
“I am in my body. I am safe right now.”
“I saw ____ today. I felt ____.”
“I can rest now.”Give your body the message that it’s okay to stop bracing.
🧍♀️ 4. Shake or Sway It Out
Your body might still be holding adrenaline.
Gently shake out your arms, legs, or shoulders. Bounce on your heels.
Or sway your hips slowly to music. Let your fascia melt.
Movement doesn’t have to be big to be effective.
🛏️ 5. Create a Soft Nest
Wrap yourself in a blanket.
Dim the lights.
Let yourself curl, lie flat, or sprawl — whatever feels good.
Touch your face, chest, or arms gently. Skin contact helps regulate the vagus nerve.
💡 Bonus: Weighted blankets or warm compresses can signal safety to your system.
🌀 6. Release Responsibility Gently
You don’t have to hold everything all at once.
You showed up. That matters.
Let others carry the torch for a moment while you refill.
“Rest is not withdrawal. It is repair.”
— Tricia Hersey, The Nap Ministry
🫶 7. Reach for Co-Regulation
Text a friend: “Can I tell you what I witnessed today?”
Cuddle a pet.
Listen to a calming voice — even a podcast or meditation.
Attend a space like our Recharge Room to restore together.
💡 Coming Down from Collective Action:
What Might Happen (and What to Do)
What You Might Feel What Might Help
Overwhelm or shutdown Lie down with a weighted blanket. Close your eyes.
Anger or grief Make sounds. Journal. Talk to a trusted person.
Dissociation or numbness Name 5 things you see, hear, feel. Reorient gently.
Hopeful but wired Move gently. Breathe slowly. Let your joy land.
🔌 You're Invited: Nervous System Care in Community
If you’re needing more support, we’re hosting a free virtual space just for this.
💻 Recharge Room:
A Soft Space for the Overstimulated
📅 Monday, June 16 | 🕔 5 PM PT | 💙 LinkedIn Live
Hosted by me (Lauren Freedman, Chronic Illness Coach) and Jayci Gibbs (Millennial Burnout Coach)
We’ll guide gentle practices to unwind freeze, understand overstimulation, and co-regulate in real time.
👉 RSVP here — come as you are. Cameras off welcome. Softness guaranteed.