How Lymphatic Drainage Reset My Mind and Body by Clearing Mental Fog, Chronic Fatigue, and Internal Jet Lag
What I Learned About Mental Clarity, Chronic Fatigue, and Detoxing From This Week’s Episode on the Lymphatic System
From 2023 to 2024, I spent the entire school year flying cross-country twice a week. I was attending grad school in California while also being a full-time caretaker in Florida. Every week, I was on and off planes, living in two time zones, constantly catching red-eyes I could never sleep on. I would land, throw on a fresh outfit, and head straight into events or meetings with no time to breathe, let alone rest.
Eventually, I moved to California full-time, but the pace never slowed. I kept booking back-to-back travel and packed days, thinking I could outwork the exhaustion. My schedule became relentless. I was working on my computer until 2:45 a.m., then woke up at 5:45 a.m. to start all over again. No sleep, constant screen time, eye strain, and no real awareness of when it was time to rest. I just kept pushing.
But something had to give.
Living in a State of Internal Jet Lag
This week on Normalize The Conversation, I sat down with Rebecca Faria to talk about the lymphatic system. What I did not expect was to find myself in her words. She described something called internal jet lag, where your body feels like it is constantly in motion even when you are standing still because your biological clock has completely lost its rhythm.
That was me.
My body had no idea when it was supposed to eat, sleep, detox, or recover. Between the flights, the late nights, and the long to-do lists, I was in a constant state of survival mode. I felt bloated, foggy, anxious, and completely disconnected from myself. And the worst part was that I just thought it was normal.
The Power of Lymphatic Drainage
After hearing Rebecca explain how lifestyle habits affect the lymphatic system, I decided to try lymphatic drainage for myself. I booked an appointment hoping for a little relief and I left feeling completely different. Not just lighter in my body, but lighter in my mind. The tension in my gut eased. My head cleared. I felt like I could breathe again.
Rebecca compared the body to a street full of cars. When water, toxins, and waste build up between systems, traffic piles up. You feel sluggish, stuck, heavy. But when you flush those toxins out, everything flows again. You move easier. You think clearer. You feel better.
That was exactly my experience.
Small Daily Habits That Make a Big Difference
Since that first session, I have made small but intentional changes. I start my day by going outside and looking at the sun to help reset my internal clock. I wind down at night with no bright screens. I drink more water. I eat regular meals. I move my body more. I even started doing tongue scraping and putting my legs up against the wall at night to boost circulation and reduce swelling.
These habits might seem small, but they are helping me regulate my nervous system and support my lymphatic flow. They are helping me feel human again.
How Chronic Fatigue Was Affecting My Mental Health
For so long, I lived in burnout. I thought if I just pushed harder, I could keep going. But that fatigue was not just physical. It was mental and emotional. I was struggling with brain fog, emotional dysregulation, and a lack of motivation. I was not showing up as my best self, even when I tried.
Clearing toxins from my body has helped me find clarity in my mind. I feel more grounded. More energized. More connected to myself.
Everything Is Connected
This episode was a powerful reminder that the body and mind are not separate. Our sleep, our food, our stress levels, our gut, our hormones, our clarity—it is all linked. And when we learn how to support our bodies, we create space for our minds to heal too.
If you are constantly tired, bloated, anxious, or overwhelmed, I encourage you to look deeper. It might not be just stress. It might be your body asking for support.
If You Are Going Through This, Here Are a Few Reminders You May Need
If you are anything like me, navigating a demanding schedule while trying to keep your mind and body afloat, here is what I want you to remember:
You are not lazy, unmotivated, or falling behind. You are likely exhausted.
Feeling foggy or heavy is not a personal failure. It is a signal from your body.
Your worth is not measured by your productivity.
Rest is not optional. It is required.
Small steps matter. Drinking more water, getting sun in the morning, and going to bed earlier all add up.
Healing is possible. Clarity is possible. Energy is possible. You deserve to feel good again.
Listen to “Detox Your Mind: How the Lymphatic System Impacts Mental Clarity with Rebecca Faria” now on Normalize The Conversation—available on all streaming platforms.
