Shift Notes | science. story. shift.

Dr. Aimee Warren
1 day ago
3 min read

Welcome to Shift Notes, my weekly letter at the intersection of science and soul — exploring how medicine, mindfulness, and meaning meet inside our shared human experience.

Each week, you’ll find three small anchors:

🧠 Science — one discovery or insight reshaping how we understand consciousness, medicine, and healing.

💗 Story — a glimpse into a real shift from my own life or the lives of my patients.

🌿 Shift — a simple practice, recipe, or ritual to help you move toward a more grounded, joyful, and healthy life.

Because healing doesn’t happen all at once — it happens in small, intentional shifts.

science.

If you’ve ever felt guilty for slowing down, here’s a reframe: rest isn’t the absence of productivity — it’s the foundation for it.

Neuroscience calls this the default mode network, a brain state active when we’re not focused on tasks. It’s when memories consolidate, creativity sparks, and emotional processing happens beneath the surface.

Research shows that periods of rest improve problem-solving, emotional regulation, and immune function. In short — doing less helps your body do more.

When the sympathetic (the “go, go, go!”) system runs constantly, cortisol stays high, and immune function, digestion, and hormone balance is disrupted. Rest is how we remind the body it’s safe to recover and heal — and it's how we make space for something new to emerge.

story.

Last week in clinic, I saw a patient who’s been “pushing through” fatigue for months. Her labs were normal and her diet and exercise were all on point. But her schedule had no margin — no pauses, no space, no room for even a deep breath between all the tasks.

When I asked what rest looked like for her, she laughed. “Rest? I’ll rest when things calm down.”

I told her what I tell myself more often than I’d like to admit: Things don’t calm down on their own. We have to create calm...intentionally.

Her homework wasn’t another supplement or lab test. It was 10 minutes a day to do absolutely nothing — not scroll, not stretch, not plan. Just stop. To sit and just BE. Eyes closed, tune inward, feel her breath moving in and out.

This is where healing begins.

shift.

Try this: Block off one 10-minute window this week — and label it “White Space.”

No purpose. No productivity. Just sit. Breathe. Be. Unplug from the outside and tune into your inside. Scan your body, feel your breath, pay attention to the rise and fall of your belly as you inhale and exhale. Your nervous system will thank you — and so will your creativity.

Because stillness isn’t empty or a waste of time. It’s full of renewal.

cura apothecary.

DIY Chai Ritual

1 cup plant milk or organic whole milk
½ cup water
1 tsp loose-leaf black tea (or rooibos for caffeine-free)
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp ground ginger
A small pinch of black pepper
Optional: 1 tsp raw honey or a few rose petals to finish

To prepare:

Warm water and milk together in a small pot.
Add tea and spices; stir gently and bring to a low simmer.
Let steep for 3–5 minutes, then strain into your favorite cup.
Add honey (if desired) and a sprinkle of rose petals or cinnamon on top.

Or try our Mind + Mood Ritual Chai concentrate. Infused with organic chai spices, lion’s mane, reishi, and ashwagandha — it's a sweet and spicy blend designed to steady the nervous system and brighten the mind.

Sprinkled with rose petals, it’s a small reminder that healing can taste beautiful, too.

Explore the blends

In gratitude for the small, steady shifts that change everything.

XO, Aimee