The Power of Pause and How Micro-Moments of Stillness Reset the Midlife Brain
- Brainz Magazine
- Jun 20
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 22
Catherine Gallacher, a renowned Empowerment Result Coach, Presenter and Founder of StepUpcmg Ltd (est. 2002), as the author of Empower Your Midlife: A Guide. She guides individuals to break patterns, gain clarity, and step into bold, purposeful transformation with confidence.
In a world that celebrates hustle and glorifies business, stillness can feel radical. Yet for those navigating the complexities of midlife, juggling shifting identities, caregiving responsibilities, hormonal transitions, and career reinvention, pausing isn’t just helpful, it’s essential.
“In a World That Won’t Stop, Your Pause is a Revolution” – Catherine Gallacher
Understanding the pause framework
The Power of Pause refers to the intentional use of short breaks throughout your day to reduce pressure and stress, and to restore focus and recalibrate the brain, the 3 R’s: Recharge, Refresh, and Refocus. These micro-moments, whether a 60-second breath, a mindful sip of tea (being present with awareness), or a gaze out of the window (as a child, it was called daydreaming), create neurological space for calm and clarity. In a fast-paced, always-on world, pauses are not a luxury; they are neural resets. Especially during midlife, when relationships, careers, hormones, and purpose collide, pauses rebalance the nervous system and shift us from survival to presence.
Root causes: Why midlife demands a reset
Along with midlife often comes an invisible build-up of stress: hormonal changes (e.g. perimenopause, andropause), aging parents, career re-evaluations, and that growing sense of “what now?” The brain’s prefrontal cortex, responsible for reasoning and emotional regulation, gets overloaded. When chronically stressed, the amygdala (our fear centre) hijacks logical thinking, flooding the body with cortisol (the stress hormone) and adrenaline (the fight/flight hormone). Over time, this dysregulates mood, sleep, decision-making, and self-worth.
Without conscious, intentional pauses, our nervous system remains in a low-grade flight_fright_freeze mode. This continual overactivation results in mental fatigue, emotional volatility, and physical burnout. Cultural pressures to “keep going” worsen this biological depletion.
The neuroscience behind stillness
When we pause intentionally, we activate the parasympathetic nervous system, also called the “rest-and-digest” state. This shift is marked by the release of calming neurochemicals:
Dopamine: Linked to motivation, pleasure, and learning, boosted through mindful rewards like stillness.
Serotonin: Elevates mood and enhances feelings of well-being.
Oxytocin: Released in moments of calm connection, internally or externally.
GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid): Reduces anxiety by slowing neural excitability.
These neurotransmitters buffer the impact of cortisol and create neural conditions that support emotional regulation, memory consolidation, and creative problem-solving. As Dr. Andrew Huberman, a Stanford neuroscientist, explains, “Deliberate pauses are not just relaxing, they recalibrate the brain’s ability to respond versus react.”
Underlying cognitive and emotional patterns
Attention residue
The lingering thoughts and mental clutter that remain after switching from one task to another, making it difficult to fully concentrate on the new activity. It disrupts focus and reduces productivity, especially when transitions are rushed or unconscious.
Mental fragmentation is a scattered or disjointed state of mind where thoughts are constantly interrupted, making it hard to complete tasks, retain information, or stay present. It’s often caused by digital overload, multitasking, or unprocessed stress, leaving the brain in a state of cognitive chaos when there is task-switching without transition.
Burnout syndrome
Emotional and physical exhaustion from sustained stress. It is chronic physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged exposure to stress, especially when feeling underappreciated or overwhelmed. It can result in reduced motivation, feelings of detachment, lowered productivity, and a sense of helplessness. In midlife, burnout may stem from juggling too many roles at once without adequate recovery time or support.
Decision fatigue
Cognitive depletion after excessive decision-making. The decline in decision-making ability after a long time of making choices can lead to impulsivity or avoidance of decision-making. In midlife, daily decisions can span from caregiving to financial planning to career pivots (refer to the new Empowerment series of webinars going live, beginning with Mindset-Reset, followed by When Life Happens, We Pivot and Mental Blocks, register your interest).
With these pivots, the brain becomes depleted, causing stress, procrastination, and emotional shutdown. The quality of decisions worsens as the day progresses without restorative pauses. Cognitive depletion therefore happens after excessive decision-making.
Midlife identity fog
A blurred sense of direction or fulfilment. A psychological haze where individuals feel disconnected from their sense of purpose or personal identity. Asking “Who am I now?” or “What do I really want?” This fog occurs as life roles evolve, empty nests, career transitions, or shifting values, and it can feel destabilising without reflection, presence (mindfulness), and intentional reconnection to the self.
The reset intentional pause framework (Catherine Gallacher)
Stage 1: Recalibrate
Purpose: Interrupt autopilot and bring awareness to the present.
Action: Take a conscious breath, filling your lungs (e.g. inhale for 5 seconds, hold for 5 seconds, and exhale for 5 seconds with slow and comfortable breaths). This signals safety to your nervous system.
Stage 2: Engage the senses
Purpose: Anchor your body and brain in the now.
Action: Use sensory awareness (sight, sound, smell, touch) to shift from racing thoughts to grounded presence.
Stage 3: Settle the mind
Purpose: Calm internal noise and reduce overthinking.
Action: Use visual anchors, silence notifications, or gaze at nature to soothe cognitive load.
Stage 4: Empower the moment
Purpose: Choose your next step with clarity and intention.
Action: Reflect, set a micro-intention, or simply hold stillness, allowing the pause to inform your path.
Framework for intentional pause
1. Pause-breathe-reset
Begin by being in a safe space, with a comfortable and relaxed posture. You may want to close your eyes and take a conscious breath. Inhale for 5 seconds, pause or hold the breath for 5 seconds (or as long as is comfortable), and exhale for 5 seconds. Fill your lungs with slow, deep breaths, and exhale fully. Repeat this 5 times. This signals safety to the brain and activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
2. Shift awareness
Before switching tasks or roles, pause for 10 seconds and release the previous task. Acknowledge what you’re leaving behind and set an intention for what’s next. This prevents attention residue.
3. Engage the senses
Ground yourself by observing a natural element (sky, tree, water, or even a plant) to calm the nervous system. Let your eyes rest in stillness for 2–3 minutes. This reorients the brain toward calm focus.
4. Respond with intention
In conversations, take one breath before speaking. This tiny pause can de-escalate emotional reactions and create space for empathy and clarity. That breath before responding builds emotional control and presence.
5. Anchor the moment
Keep a calming visual (artwork, nature photo, or any sensory anchor using touch, smell, taste, sound, or sight). Use the anchor as a cue to pause and return to presence throughout the day. This anchor can be placed at home, in your workspace, or on your phone.
6. Reclaim focus
Silence all digital notifications for 15–30 minutes twice a day. Let your mind settle into uninterrupted awareness without alerts hijacking your attention. This practice gives the brain space.
7. Create sacred stillness
Dedicate 5 minutes a day to do nothing, no screens, no goals, just presence. This pause replenishes cognitive energy and restores mental clarity. Just be. A 5-minute daily pause is a powerful ritual.
Let me leave you with a few quotes for reflection
“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.” – Etty Hillesum
“Mental resets, even for 60 seconds, can shift your state from reactive to intentional. It’s not luxury, it’s strategy.” – Dr. Andrew Huberman, neuroscientist at Stanford
Read more from Catherine Gallacher
Catherine Gallacher, Empowerment Result Coach
Catherine Gallacher is a Snr Accredited Psychotherapist, Empowerment Result Coach and dynamic Presenter Trainer with nearly three decades of experience in Mental health and Personal Transformation. She is the founder of StepUpcmg Ltd (est. 2002), and author of Empower Your Midlife: A Step-by-Step Guide to personal transformation. With nearly 3 decades of experience, Catherine helps people break patterns, shift mindsets, and create lasting change. Her work blends psychological insight with practical tools to support confident, purpose-driven transformation. Through coaching, training, and speaking, she empowers others to rise-because midlife is not an ending, it's a powerful new chapter.
