We’ve all heard about triggers—those moments that activate our stress response and send the nervous system into fight, flight, or freeze. But have you heard of glimmers? These small, positive moments can be just as powerful in the opposite direction, helping to calm the nervous system and restore a sense of ease.
Actively seeking out glimmers can help cultivate mental wellbeing and long-term resilience.
Glimmers are micro-moments of beauty, peace, joy, connection, or awe–small experiences in our day that elicit a rush of feel good hormones and gratitude, even if just for a fleeting moment. Glimmers are the opposite of triggers, they reduce stress and help us to self-regulate and feel safe. This is because they help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, the branch responsible for health, growth and restoration.
The term was coined by therapist Deb Dana in her work with Polyvagal Theory, which explains how our nervous system responds to signals of safety or danger.
Unlike grand peak experiences, glimmers are subtle and often go unnoticed: the warmth of sunshine on your skin, a smile from a stranger, or the comforting rhythm of your morning tea ritual. They may not change your life, but they can change your state—anchoring you gently in calm.
Glimmers align beautifully with the naturopathic principle of vis medicatrix naturae—the healing power of nature. Just as an ecosystem restores balance through subtle shifts, your body responds to glimmers as gentle interventions guiding it back to homeostasis.
Why glimmers matter for your wellbeing
In a stress-saturated world, it’s easy for our nervous systems to get stuck in high alert or shut down. This dysregulation often shows up as digestive issues, sleep problems, hormonal imbalance, and immune dysfunction— conditions that conventional care doesn’t always fully explain or resolve.
Recognising and savouring glimmers can:
- Interrupt stress cycles before they escalate
- Increase your capacity to handle life’s challenges
- Rewire your brain toward safety and positivity
- Build emotional resilience over time
🧠 Research in neuroplasticity shows that when we pause to notice positive experiences, we strengthen the neural circuits associated with wellbeing. It’s not just a “nice idea”—it’s biology.
Looking for glimmers ✨
Glimmers are unique to you. What lights up one person might be neutral for another. But if you’re wondering what to look for, here are some glimmer examples that often show up in everyday life:
- Sea sparkles, Tuis singing, or bare feet in crunchy sand
- The scent of rain or the sight of crimson Pohutukawa carpeting the pavement in summer
- The smell of coffee, the weight of a cosy blanket
- The sun on your face, the taste of your favourite sleepy-tea blend
- A sweet text, an unhinged meme shared with your bestie
- The cat making biscuits on your lap, climbing under fresh sheets
- Getting lost in music, art, dancing…
Start your day with a glimmer intention—a quiet promise to stay open to moments of beauty, calm, or delight. This small act helps train your brain to seek safety rather than threat, and over time, it shifts your internal landscape. The more you notice, the more glimmers seem to find you.
Finally, sharing a glimmer a day with friends via text is a fun way to keep the momentum going.
From noticing to neuroplasticity
The real power of glimmers isn’t just in noticing them—it’s in intentionally engaging with them. Here’s how:
- Breathe consciously, with a longer exhale to activate the vagus nerve
- Name it: “this is a glimmer”
- Tune in physically, noticing how the glimmer feels in your body
- Savour it, allowing the experience to linger for at least 15 seconds
This practice helps the positive experience move from a fleeting moment to a more lasting neural pathway in your brain. By focusing on glimmers not triggers, you’re training your nervous system to scan for safety rather than danger.
A Naturopathic prescription: Start your glimmer journey
Glimmers are a tonic for the nervous system, and can bring a spark of joy and regulation to an otherwise difficult day.
Commit to noticing three glimmers each day this week. You might be surprised how this small practice gradually shifts your awareness away from what’s going wrong and toward what’s going right. Over time, you’ll likely find that glimmers aren’t just pleasant moments—they’re powerful tools for nervous system regulation and resilience in an often chaotic world.
Sometimes, this is what healing looks like–quiet moments of joy and beauty that remind your body it’s safe to exhale.
Hugs!
Lauren.
Hanson, R., & Mendius, R. (2009). Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom. New Harbinger Publications.
Dana, D. (2018). The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation. W. W. Norton & Company.
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