The Natural High Life

Clodagh Ryan & Aisling Browne
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Mental Health

Two sober Irish girls (can we still be called 'girls' in our 40s?!) chasing the good feels - without the hangover. Wellness, laughs, and the real natural highs that actually last.Turns out alcohol wasn't the fun one at the party. It was us all along.We (Clodagh and Aisling) are two Irish women who gave up the drink and accidentally stumbled into the best version of our lives. Now we're on a mission to find every natural high going - and share the ones that actually work.Each week we will pick a feel-good practice, try it for real, and come back to talk honestly about what happened, encouraging you to come join us along the journey too. Breathwork, cold water, movement, connection, rest, nutrition - the science, the stories, and the bits that went sideways.No toxic wellness. No preaching. No hangovers. Just honest experiences from 2 cailíní who are living proof that the good stuff doesn't come in a glass.

Episodes

  1. 2d ago

    Take A Breath: The Natural High of Pranayama & Nervous System Regulation

    In this episode, Clodagh and Aisling explore the fascinating world of nervous system regulation and why so many of us are living in a low-grade state of stress without even realising it. The conversation begins with wisdom tooth recovery, holiday reflections, improved phone habits and why alcohol-free holidays can feel surprisingly restorative.  From there, they move into their Hot Sober Topic of the week: unpacking "the fear" - that familiar mix of anxiety, overthinking and physical unease that often follows a night of drinking. The hosts then explore how the nervous system works, the difference between sympathetic and parasympathetic states, common stress responses like fight, flight, freeze and fawn, and why modern life can leave us feeling like we're constantly being chased by invisible tigers. They also dive into the vagus nerve, vagal tone, Paul Ekman's concept of the Emotional Refractory Period and why one of the most powerful regulation tools available to us is something we already do every day: breathe. This week's Natural High is Pranayama - the yogic practice of conscious breath regulation - with a simple diaphragmatic breathing challenge for listeners to try at home. Because sometimes the goal isn't to escape your life. It's to build a nervous system that feels safe enough to live it. This Week's Invite: Practice 5–10 minutes of diaphragmatic breathing each day. Try:  Inhale through the nose for 4 counts  Exhale through the nose for 6 counts Notice:  How you respond to stress  Your energy levels  Sleep quality  Emotional regulation  Your ability to pause before reactingFor this episide, Clodagh has created a free guided diaphragmatic breathing practice to help you slow down, regulate your nervous system, reduce stress and create a greater sense of calm throughout your day. Whether you're new to breathwork or looking to strengthen your practice, this is a great place to start: Video Link: https://youtu.be/igjR3nnTkDQ Take 5–10 minutes for yourself, follow along, and notice how you feel afterwards. Small pauses can create powerful shifts.  Key Takeaway: A regulated nervous system doesn't mean you're calm all the time. It means you can return. And sometimes, one conscious breath is where that return begins. This is an exclusive discount for our Natural High Lifer Listeners. Doctrine Skincare have offered this across season 1 - 15% discount across all full priced and full sized products.

    1h 11m

  2. May 25

    I’m Walking On Sunshine - The High That Keeps On Giving

    Can walking really change your mood, your mind, your health… and maybe even your life? This week, Aisling and Clodagh dive into one of the most underrated natural highs of all time: walking. From reducing anxiety and boosting creativity to improving emotional wellbeing, connection and longevity, they explore why something so simple can have such a powerful impact on how we feel. The Gimmon, or Whirls,  also unpack a VERY spicy sober hot topic after reading an article questioning whether sober culture is making people “boring” (safe to say… they had thoughts 👀). Plus: – Why walking is “the great adaptogen” – The science-backed health benefits of walking – Why you should never underestimate a 10-minute walk – Social connection, community & micro-moments of joy – Why sobriety feels like “life in HD” – The power of phone calls over texts – How modern life is disconnecting us from each other – And why some of the best conversations happen side-by-side on a walk Whether you’re listening on your daily stroll, driving to work, folding laundry, or hiding from your responsibilities for an hour… welcome back, Natural High Lifers 💛 ⸻ 🎧 This Week’s Natural High: WALKING 🚶‍♀️ This week, we’d love you to: – Add more walking into your day – Try a walking catch-up instead of a coffee catch-up – Notice how you feel after your walk – And share your experience with us! ⸻ 📲 Join Our Community Come hang out with us over on Instagram: @the.natural.high.life We absolutely LOVE hearing from you. Send us: ✨ Your feedback on the episode ✨ Your experience trying one of our natural highs ✨ Your own favourite natural highs ✨ Questions or topics you’d love us to cover Everyone who gets in touch will be entered into our wellness giveaway draw 🌿 (And no annoying forms required. We’re allergic to admin.) ⸻ 📚 Books & Resources Mentioned – In Praise of Walking — Shane O’Mara – Atomic Habits — James Clear – Research discussed from: European Journal of Preventive Cardiology (2023 Meta-Analysis on Walking & Longevity) ⸻ 💛 If You’re Enjoying The Podcast… Please follow, rate and review the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or wherever you are tuning in from - it genuinely helps us reach more people and grow this little community of natural high seekers. And if this episode made you think of someone… Send it to them 💌 ⸻ Grá mór, Aisling & Clodagh The Natural High Life Podcast This is an exclusive discount for our Natural High Lifer Listeners. Doctrine Skincare have offered this across season 1 - 15% discount across all full priced and full sized products.

    1h 3m

  3. May 18

    Social Connection: Why This Might Be The Real High We're Missing

    This week on The Natural High Life we’re diving into one of the most powerful natural highs available to us: human connection. In a world where we’re constantly online, connected and contactable, many of us are quietly feeling more disconnected than ever. We explore loneliness, belonging, vulnerability, friendship, community and the science behind why meaningful relationships are essential for our health, happiness and longevity.  We also chat about:  Why giving up alcohol does not mean giving up the fun or the craic  Feeling sick when you’re no longer constantly hungover - our Sober Hot Topic this week Why sober laughs somehow hit even harder  Deep meaningful conversations (DMCs) without the drink  The shame and silence often tied to loneliness  Our honest meditation recap from last week: what worked, what absolutely did not, and how we’re adapting our practices to suit us individually This episode explores fascinating research around social connection including:  The Harvard Study of Adult Development  The “Blue Zones” longevity research by Dan Buettner  Johann Hari’s Lost Connections The nervous system’s “tend and befriend” response  Why loneliness impacts our health as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day One of our favourite reminders from this episode: “If you’re going to expose your heart, make sure it’s your wisest self doing that.” This Week’s Invitation Try: 1 Connection A Day Swap out a text for a phone call. Make eye contact. Start a conversation. Ask someone how they really are - and wait for the answer. Small moments of connection matter more than we think.  Resources & References Books Lost Connections by Johann HariThe Blue Zones by Dan BuettnerDocumentary Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones (Netflix)Upcoming Event Join us for our upcoming Quit Your Wine-ing in-person event in Cork City on Sunday, May 24th at Aye from 3.30pm  Register HereFood, laughs, meaningful conversations and connection with like-minded people. Come exactly as you are. 💛 High Lifer Discounts:  Doctrine Skincare.  This is an exclusive discount for our Natural High Lifer Listeners. Doctrine Skincare have offered this across season 1 - 15% discount across all full priced and full sized products. Use code TNHL15 and enjoy.  This is an exclusive discount for our Natural High Lifer Listeners. Doctrine Skincare have offered this across season 1 - 15% discount across all full priced and full sized products.

    1h 3m

  4. May 11

    Happiness is an Inside Job: The Natural High of Meditating

    This week on The Natural High Life Podcast, we’re exploring the powerful practice of meditation and why true happiness really is an inside job. In a world full of noise, distractions, dopamine hits and constant rushing, meditation invites us to slow down, reconnect and come home to ourselves. We chat about how creating even a few moments of stillness each day can help strip away the glitter from the cheap thrills and bring the focus back to what actually matters. This week’s episode includes: ✨ Our Sober Hot Topic of the week: it's a spicy one ✨ A recap of last week’s Natural High: Gratitude ✨ How we each got on with our own gratitude practices during the week ✨ Introducing Natural High number 2: Meditation  ✨ Our honest thoughts and practical tips on meditation ✨ The science-backed benefits of slowing down ✨ An invitation for listeners to join us in this week’s Natural High  This isn’t about being perfect, “switching off your mind,” or becoming a monk overnight. It’s about fostering self-awareness, compassion and creating a place within yourself that feels safe to return to every single day. As always, we’ve got an amazing prize up for grabs. Anyone who joins us for this week’s meditation practice and shares their journey or updates with us will automatically be entered into the draw to win. Join along, share and let us know how you do by messaging us via our Instagram: @the.natural.high.life, sending us a direct message or getting in touch via email.  Take a breath. Slow down. Join us for the week ahead 🌿 This is an exclusive discount for our Natural High Lifer Listeners. Doctrine Skincare have offered this across season 1 - 15% discount across all full priced and full sized products.

    1h 1m

  5. Apr 28

    Welcome to The Natural High Life: Our Story + The Power of Gratitude

    Welcome to Episode 1 of The Natural High Life - the podcast exploring how to feel better, live brighter, and create real highs in life… naturally. In this first episode, we introduce ourselves, share our personal journeys with sobriety, and open up about why we felt called to create this podcast and community. From the highs, lows, awkward moments, and life-changing lessons, this is the honest beginning of the journey. We also dive into our very first Natural High of the Week: Gratitude. Sounds simple… because it is. But science shows gratitude can improve mood, reduce stress, strengthen relationships, support sleep, and even help rewire the brain toward greater wellbeing. Not bad for something free. Inside this episode we explore:  Our individual paths to sobriety  Why we created The Natural High Life  How gratitude changes the brain and body  Practical ways to build a gratitude habit that actually sticks  Our challenge for the week: bringing gratitude into daily life  How you can join the journey with us Over the next week, we’ll both be putting this practice to the test in real life - and in the next episode, we’ll share the good, the bad, and the slightly chaotic truth of how it went. We’ll also reveal the next Natural High to explore together. This podcast is built on community, connection, and shared growth - so come join in. Let us know how you get on, share your own stories, and be part of the movement. We’ll also have some beautiful prizes and giveaways for listeners along the way. Because feeling good shouldn’t always come in a bottle. Research & References Emmons, R.A. et al. - Counting blessings versus burdens: an experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12585811/ Wong, Y.J. et al. - Does gratitude writing improve the mental health of psychotherapy clients? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27139595/ James Clear - Atomic Habits Find Us In Person Both Clodagh & Aisling teach yoga at the beautiful Cork Lotus Yoga studio. Check out the full class schedule at corklotusyoga.com 💚 This week's discount for our Natural High Lifers - Doctrine Skincare. Use code TNHL15 for 15% off any full-sized, full-price product at doctrineskincare.com Doctrine is an Irish, science-backed skincare brand formulated by a cosmetic chemist - no gimmicks, no greenwashing, just ingredients that earn their place. Clodagh has been a genuine fan since launch. No paid partnership. No commission. Just a brand that we love. Disclaimer We are two Irish women who quit drinking and found our way - we are not doctors, therapists, or medical professionals of any kind. Nothing you hear on The Natural High Life podcast or read in our show notes should be taken as medical advice, a diagnosis, or a substitute for professional support. If something we discuss sparks a question about your own health or wellbeing, please bring it to your GP or a qualified healthcare professional. And if you're in a difficult place right now, please don't let anything you hear here delay you from reaching out to someone who can really help. 💚 Follow, subscribe, and join us for more episodes of The Natural High Life.

    58 min
  • 5 Episodes

About

Two sober Irish girls (can we still be called 'girls' in our 40s?!) chasing the good feels - without the hangover. Wellness, laughs, and the real natural highs that actually last.Turns out alcohol wasn't the fun one at the party. It was us all along.We (Clodagh and Aisling) are two Irish women who gave up the drink and accidentally stumbled into the best version of our lives. Now we're on a mission to find every natural high going - and share the ones that actually work.Each week we will pick a feel-good practice, try it for real, and come back to talk honestly about what happened, encouraging you to come join us along the journey too. Breathwork, cold water, movement, connection, rest, nutrition - the science, the stories, and the bits that went sideways.No toxic wellness. No preaching. No hangovers. Just honest experiences from 2 cailíní who are living proof that the good stuff doesn't come in a glass.

Information

  • Creator
    Clodagh Ryan & Aisling Browne
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Natural High Life
  • Show Website
    The Natural High Life

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