Blog
Calm, in practice
Short, practical guides for the moments when everything is too much. Every claim links to the study behind it.
· 6 min read
Self-soothing touch: why touch calms you down
Why touch calms your body, what research says about hugs, hand-holding and touching yourself, and six self-soothing touch techniques you can use anywhere.
· 9 min read
Sensory overload: why everything is suddenly too much, and what helps
What sensory overload is, why noise, light and crowds pile up over a day until one small thing tips you over, and what helps in the moment and over a week.
· 7 min read
Sunday scaries: why Sunday evening feels like that, and what helps
Why the dread before the work week starts on Sunday evening, what your head and body are doing, and a ten-minute Sunday routine that gets Monday out of your head.
· 10 min read
Why does noise make me so angry? Sensory overload as a mom, and what helps
Why noise makes you so angry when the kids are loud, why sensory overload peaks at 5:30 and isn't a flaw in you, and what helps in the moment and over a week.
· 7 min read
Exam nerves: how to calm down before (and during) a test
Why exams set off your stress response, why your mind goes blank, how to study so your memory holds up under stress, and a ten-minute routine for the hallway.
· 10 min read
Mom burnout: what parental burnout is, and what helps before it gets there
What mom burnout means to researchers, how it differs from being tired or depressed, why it comes from more demands than help, and what helps before it gets there.
· 6 min read
Stage fright: how to calm your nerves before you go on
Why your body panics before a presentation, pitch or performance, why getting excited beats calming down, and a 60-second routine for the minute before you go on.
· 10 min read
Why you stay up too late once the kids are asleep, and how to get your evening back
What revenge bedtime procrastination is, why parents of little kids stay up so late, what it costs, and how to give your evening a start and an end you choose.
· 5 min read
The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique, and a body-first version
How to do the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique, why it can help, why it gets hard when stress peaks, and a 30-second body-first version built on breath, touch and rhythm.
· 12 min read
How to stop yelling at your kids (and what to do when you already did)
Why yelling happens at the end of the day, what helps before and in the moment, how to repair after you yelled, and a gentle four-week practice to yell less.
· 6 min read
Fidget toys for adults: what helps and what doesn't
Why adults fidget, what research says about doodling, spinners and stress balls, and how to pick a fidget toy that calms you without stealing your focus.
· 12 min read
How to make a calm-down corner at home (and one for you)
What a calm-down corner is (and isn't), where to put it, what goes in a calm-down kit, how to start one with a toddler or preschooler, and a corner for you.
· 5 min read
What to do instead of doomscrolling
Why the scroll is so hard to stop when you're overwhelmed, what the research says about cutting back, and a 60-second swap that keeps your hands busy.
· 10 min read
Quiet time for toddlers and preschoolers: how to start it when the nap goes
When kids stop napping, how to start quiet time for a 2-, 3- or 4-year-old, what goes in a quiet time box, how to make the room safe, and what to do with your hour.
· 6 min read
How to calm down fast: 7 body-first techniques
Seven quick ways to take the edge off, using your breath, your hands, rhythm and sound. Each one works on a train, at a desk or before a meeting.
· 8 min read
How to stay calm when your toddler is screaming
Why a toddler's scream hits you so hard, why tantrums end, and what helps in the moment: a long breath out, a low voice, and repair if you yelled.
· 8 min read
Overstimulated toddler: how to help your little one come down after a big day
What overstimulation looks like in a toddler, why big days and the holidays pile up by late afternoon, and how to help your little one come down, starting with you.
· 8 min read
Low-stimulation shows and apps: a slow-screen check for little kids
How to spot low-stimulation shows and apps: what the 2026 AAP and UK guidance says about screens for young children, why pace, ads and design matter more than minutes, and a five-point slow-screen check.
· 9 min read
Touched out: what it means, why parents feel it, and what helps
What being touched out means, why overstimulation peaks in the evening, what research says helps (from ten minutes alone to sharing the mental load), and when it's more than a long day.