Evidence-based education on stress, cortisol, anatomy, and the nervous system. We refuse to be "woo-woo"—every claim is backed by physiological evidence.
The Science
“Stress is not what happens to us. It's our response to what happens. And response is something we can choose.”
— Gabor Maté, The Myth of Normal
When you face stress, your body activates the HPA Axis (Hypothalamus → Pituitary → Adrenal pathway). This is your body's alarm system, designed to save your life in emergencies.
The problem? Modern life keeps this alarm system permanently on. Your body can't tell the difference between a physical threat and an email from your boss.
Duration: 5 minutes
Trigger: Lion chases zebra
Response: Cortisol spike → escape → cortisol drops
Result: System resets, zebra grazes peacefully
Duration: 8 hours/day, every day
Trigger: Email, Slack, meetings, deadlines
Response: Cortisol elevated all day, every day
Result: System never resets, chronic inflammation
Pattern: High morning cortisol, crashes by 3 PM
Symptoms: Morning anxiety, afternoon exhaustion, needs caffeine to function
Pattern: Flat cortisol all day (adrenal fatigue)
Symptoms: Chronic exhaustion, can't get out of bed, brain fog
Pattern: Reversed curve, high at night
Symptoms: Wired at night, can't fall asleep, groggy mornings
Yoga isn't just stretching. It's vagus nerve activation—the direct pathway to switching your body from "fight or flight" (sympathetic) to "rest and digest" (parasympathetic).
When you combine movement + breath, you create a biological reset that no pill, no meditation app, and no amount of "self-care" can replicate.
The Science
“The physiological sigh—a double inhale followed by a long exhale—is the fastest way to calm your nervous system. This is pranayama with a neuroscience label.”
— Andrew Huberman, Huberman Lab Podcast→
We target the autonomic nervous system—switching you from "fight or flight" (sympathetic) to "rest and digest" (parasympathetic). This is measurable, repeatable biology.
Chronic cortisol causes inflammation, weight gain, insomnia, and anxiety. Our protocols help your body return to its natural cortisol rhythm.
Every pose is explained with anatomical precision. You'll understand why you're doing it, which muscles are engaged, and what biological system you're affecting.
Busy people can't commit to hour-long practices. Our SOS interventions are 3-10 minutes— short enough to do daily, powerful enough to create change.
We're crafting in-depth, science-backed articles on cortisol regulation, nervous system health, and yoga anatomy. Check back soon!
We build on the work of world-class researchers, physicians, and neuroscientists. Here are the experts whose work informs our protocols.
The Science
“Stress is not what happens to us. It's our response to what happens. And response is something we can choose.”
— Gabor Maté, The Myth of Normal
Robert Sapolsky — The definitive book on stress physiology
Bessel van der Kolk — How trauma lives in the nervous system
Gabor Maté — Trauma, illness, and healing in a toxic culture
James Nestor — How breathing regulates everything
Andrew Huberman — Science-based tools for everyday life
Take our free cortisol assessment to discover your unique stress profile and get custom recommendations.
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