5-Minute Nervous System Reset: 6 Techniques That Work Fast
Need to calm down fast? These 6 science-backed nervous system reset techniques work in under 5 minutes. Immediate stress relief you can use anywhere, anytime.
Jamie Murphy
Co-founder & Developer
Co-founder & developer of StillMind. Building mindful tech that respects your time, protects privacy & supports sustainable meditation practice.
Jamie Murphy is the co-founder and lead developer of StillMind, bringing over a decade of experience building thoughtful technology that puts human wellbeing first.
After years of working in high-pressure tech environments, Jamie discovered meditation as a way to manage burnout and anxiety. Frustrated by meditation apps that felt more like productivity tools than genuine support systems—complete with guilt-inducing streak counters and generic advice—Jamie recognized an opportunity to build something different.
Why StillMind Exists
StillMind was born from a simple observation: most meditation apps are designed to maximize engagement metrics, not support authentic practice. Jamie’s technical background in privacy-focused development and encryption led to StillMind’s core philosophy: your meditation practice should be truly private, personalized to your actual needs, and free from the gamification that turns mindfulness into just another task.
Technical Philosophy
As a developer, Jamie focuses on building technology that respects its users. This means end-to-end encryption for journal entries, AI that runs personalization locally when possible, and interfaces that encourage genuine practice rather than compulsive app checking. Every technical decision at StillMind is filtered through the question: “Does this support real meditation, or just our metrics?”
Beyond the Code
When not developing StillMind, Jamie maintains a daily meditation practice (imperfectly, with plenty of missed days—because that’s real life), contributes to open-source privacy tools, and advocates for ethical tech design that prioritizes user autonomy over engagement optimization.
Posts by Jamie Murphy
Why You Can't Meditate Without Your App (And How to Fix It)
243-day streak but can't sit in silence? You're not broken—you've been trained wrong. Here's the week-by-week path from app dependency to real meditation skills.
Co-Regulation: Why You Can't Regulate Alone
Your nervous system wasn't designed to regulate in isolation. Learn how co-regulation through relationships and connection builds lasting emotional resilience.
How to Build Stress Resilience: A Daily Practice Framework
Build lasting stress resilience with this daily practice framework. Morning routines, micro-practices, and evening recovery to strengthen your nervous system.
Nervous System Regulation at Work: Stay Calm Under Pressure
High-pressure job? Learn discrete nervous system regulation techniques for your desk, meetings, and stressful workplace situations. Stay calm under pressure.
Nervous System Regulation: The Complete Guide [Science-Backed Techniques]
Learn to regulate your nervous system like you train your body. Science-backed techniques for emotional resilience and stress capacity. Updated for 2026.
Polyvagal Theory Explained Simply: Your 3 Nervous System States
Polyvagal theory explained: understand your 3 nervous system states, why you react the way you do, and practical ways to shift states for better stress response.
Somatic Exercises for Anxiety: 10 Body-Based Techniques [Step-by-Step]
Somatic exercises for anxiety that work with your body to release stress. Learn 10 body-based techniques with step-by-step instructions for immediate relief.
Sympathetic vs Parasympathetic Nervous System: Key Differences Explained
Sympathetic vs parasympathetic nervous system explained: when each activates, what they control, and simple ways to balance them for better stress response.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation: 7 Natural Ways to Activate Your Calm Response
Learn 7 natural ways to stimulate your vagus nerve and activate your calm response. Simple, device-free techniques backed by research you can use anywhere.
Window of Tolerance: Expand Your Stress Capacity [With Examples]
Your window of tolerance determines how much stress you can handle. Learn what affects it, signs you're outside it, and proven techniques to expand it in 2026.
Meta AI vs Calm vs Headspace: AI Meditation Comparison (2026)
I tested Meta AI, Calm, Headspace, and StillMind side-by-side. Here's how their AI meditation features actually compare.
Why I Think Meditation Apps Get It Wrong
Most apps create dependency, not competence. Here's why constant guidance teaches you to lean on the app instead of actually meditating.
Why Silence Isn't the Point of Meditation
Your racing mind isn't failure. It's your brain processing its backlog. Here's why the noise before silence is the actual practice.
5-Minute Meditation Scripts That Actually Work
Short on time? These 5-minute meditation formats fit real life. Science-backed scripts for stress, focus, and calm when every minute counts.
AI Meditation Scripts: The Future of Personalized Guidance
How AI adds real-time personalization to meditation, giving you the best of both scripted wisdom and adaptive guidance.
The Anatomy of Effective Meditation Guidance
What makes meditation guidance actually work? Voice, pacing, language patterns, silence—and why personalization is the missing piece most apps ignore.
How to Structure a Meditation Script (Complete Guide)
Learn the proven three-act structure for meditation scripts: opening, body, and closing. Plus timing, pacing, and why rigid scripts sometimes fail.
Meditation Scripts for Anxiety: What Actually Works
Evidence-based meditation for anxiety: body scans, breathing patterns, and grounding. Plus why generic scripts often make anxiety worse.
Meditation Scripts for Couples: Build Deeper Connection
Couples meditation builds intimacy and reduces conflict. Practical scripts for partners: synchronized breathing, gratitude practices, and conflict resolution.
Meditation Scripts for Emotions: Anger, Sadness & Grief
Different emotions need different meditation approaches. Practical scripts for anger, sadness, grief, overwhelm, and anxiety that actually work.
Meditation Scripts for Kids: What Parents Need to Know
Kids aren't small adults - they need different meditation. Age-by-age guide for 5-8, 9-12, and teens, plus what actually works for wiggly, distracted kids.
Meditation Scripts for Sleep: What Actually Works
What makes sleep meditation scripts effective. Body relaxation, visualization, and the sleep effort paradox explained.
Meditation Scripts: The Complete Guide (2026)
Everything about meditation scripts: how to write them, types for anxiety, sleep, and kids, plus how AI is enhancing guided meditation.
Why Meditation Scripts Fail (Even the Good Ones)
Tried guided meditation scripts and felt nothing? The problem isn't you - it's the format. Why static scripts fail and what actually works instead.
New Year Meditation: A 4-Week January Guide to Reflection and Intention-Setting
Skip vague resolutions. This 4-week January meditation practice helps you process the year that was and set intentions you'll actually keep.
Meditation Techniques Explained: Which One to Use When
Stressed? Racing thoughts? Need gratitude or focus? Here's which meditation technique actually works for each situation—your complete guide to 8 methods.
Meditation for Sleep: What Actually Helps You Rest
Racing thoughts at 2am? Body won't relax? Here's what sleep meditation does for your brain, which techniques work best, and how to find what helps you.
Ancient Meditation Journaling: 2,500 Years of Practice
Meditation journaling isn't a trend. For 2,500 years, contemplatives have written after sitting. Here's what ancient wisdom teaches modern practice.
Best Meditation Journal Apps (2026) Compared
5 meditation journal apps tested for 2+ weeks: StillMind, Day One, Insight Timer, Calm, and Sattva. Compare privacy, voice notes, pricing, and session tracking. Last updated January 2026.
Journaling After Meditation: The Missing Step
You meditate. You finish. You move on. But that 10-minute window after practice? That's where insights crystallize. Here's exactly what to do.
7 Meditation Journal Prompts That Reveal Patterns
Generic prompts get generic answers. These 7 questions are diagnostic tools that surface patterns in your practice you'd otherwise miss.
Meditation Journal vs Regular Journal
You can journal about meditation in any notebook. But you'll miss patterns, progress, and insights that only practice-specific tracking reveals.
Meditation Journaling Science: Your Brain on Reflection
Meditation changes your brain. Journaling changes your brain. Together? The neuroscience explains why reflection after practice is powerful.
Voice Journaling After Meditation
You're not a writer. Typing breaks your flow. The insight fades before you finish the sentence. Voice journaling solves all three problems.
Why Meditation Teachers Recommend Journaling
Jack Kornfield, Tara Brach, Joseph Goldstein—every teacher says the same thing. Here's why journaling deepens practice and exactly how to begin.
5 Real AI Meditation Use Cases That Actually Work
Not sure if AI meditation fits your life? Here are 5 specific, messy real-life situations where it's better than browsing a library of 500 sessions.
5 Real Situations Where AI Meditation Works
Not sure if AI meditation fits your life? Here are 5 specific, messy real-life situations where it's better than browsing a library of 500 sessions.
AI Meditation for Beginners: How to Start
Never tried AI meditation? This complete beginner's guide walks you through your first session, what to expect, and how to build a consistent practice.
AI-Powered Meditation: Complete Guide (2026)
Discover how AI meditation works, its benefits over traditional apps, and which AI-powered app is right for you. Research-backed guide. Last updated January 2026.
AI Meditation vs Calm & Headspace: Which Is Better?
After 10 years with Calm and Headspace, I switched to AI meditation. Here's the honest breakdown: personalization, privacy, cost, and when each type works best.
Best AI Meditation Apps (2026): Complete Comparison Guide
Compare 5 AI meditation apps: privacy ratings, voice quality, pricing, and personalization depth. Hands-on testing reveals which app fits your practice. Last updated January 2026.
I Tested 12 Timer Apps. Here's What's Worth It (2026)
Most timer apps hide features behind subscriptions or use awful bells. After testing 12, here are the 5 that actually respect your practice.
Best Meditation Timer for ADHD: Racing Thoughts Solution
Compare meditation timers for ADHD: voice notes for racing thoughts, interval bells, simple interfaces. Research-backed recommendations.
How to Use a Meditation Timer (2025 Guide)
Learn to use a meditation timer effectively: setting duration, interval bells, building consistency. Step-by-step guide for beginners to advanced practitioners.
Is AI Meditation Private? Data Security Guide
You're typing your anxieties into an AI app at 3 AM. Where does that data go? Everything you need to know about AI meditation privacy and encryption.
Is AI Meditation Private? Security & Privacy Guide
Where does your 3 AM anxiety data go? Everything you need to know about AI meditation privacy, encryption, and data security.
Meditation + Movement: Hybrid Practices
Traditional seated meditation feels impossible? Welcome to 2025's biggest mindfulness shift: combining movement with meditation for people who can't sit still.
Why Meditation Failed You (And Why That's Not Your Fault)
I tried meditation for 10 years before building StillMind. Every app treated me the same. Here's why generic meditation fails and why AI changes it.
UAP Disclosure Anxiety: Why 'Calm Down' Doesn't Work
Congressional UAP hearings and official reports trigger real anxiety. Generic meditation doesn't address reality-questioning dread. Here's what actually helps.
Why Generic Pain Meditation Fails for Fibromyalgia
Generic pain meditation tells you to 'breathe through it.' But fibromyalgia at 2am needs different guidance. Here's what actually helps.
Meditation for Your Exact Need, Not Generic Categories
Generic stress meditation doesn't cut it for a specific work deadline. AI changes how personalized your practice can be.
The 4-Minute Gap Between Meetings: Your Meditation Window
47 browser tabs open, three meetings ahead, and exactly 4 minutes of breathing room. Here's why that tiny window matters.
When You Break Your Meditation Streak (And Why It's OK)
You meditated 47 days straight. Then life happened. Your streak reset to zero. Sound familiar? There's a better way to measure what matters.
Capture Insights During Meditation Without Breaking Flow
You're three minutes into meditation when a perfect idea arrives. Do you break your flow to write it down, or let it slip away? There's a third option.