Ditch Stress

It’s mind-blowing how much a well-functioning nervous system impacts your health! It plays a role in nearly every aspect of our health and well-being. It controls nearly every aspect of your well-being, from heart rate and digestion, to breathing. It keeps your body parts communicating, reacts to internal and external changes, and ensures your body responds correctly to stimuli. This is why it’s critical to support your nervous system and improve your overall health!

What is the Autonomic Nervous System?

The autonomic nervous system, a subset of the peripheral nervous system, is the key player in the ‘fight or flight’ response to stressful situations. This is an automatic reaction, also known as the stress response, which leads to physiological changes like elevating blood pressure, increasing heart rate, dilating pupils and sharpening mental focus. These are all intended to enhance our ability to either face or escape from a perceived threat.

It’s important to note that we only have this one system, so that whether the threat is a hungry bear coming straight atcha’ or your annoying coworker Dave who is once again hassling you about a late report, it’s the same mechanism every time. That’s why we highlight perceived threats, your body responds the same way to every perceived threat, whether it’s in our environment or brought on by thought alone.

This response is vital for survival, but problems can arise when it becomes chronically activated, and this leads to a dysregulated nervous system. Nervous system dysregulation can deeply impact our health and well-being. It is often the underlying cause of many common health issues such as anxiety, chronic stress, burnout, and other types of chronic illness or pain.

For a full breakdown of how the nervous system works check out our Nervous System 101 post.

Causes of Nervous System Dysregulation

While there are a variety of factors that can cause a dysregulated nervous system, there are a few primary causes:

1. Chronic Stress: This is one of the most common causes of a dysregulated nervous system. When the body is exposed to stress continually, the nervous system stays in a state of high alert, which can result in overwhelm and hypervigilance.
2. Lifestyle Factors: Lack of physical activity, poor diet and inadequate sleep can disrupt the normal functioning of the nervous system, as can caffeine and alcohol.
3. Environmental Factors: Exposure to toxins in the environment, such as pesticides, heavy metals, certain chemicals and mold can impact nervous system function. Stressors such as a high-stress work environment or noise pollution can also contribute to dysregulation.
4. Genetics: Genetic factors can predispose individuals to a dysregulated nervous system.
5. Trauma: Both emotional and physical trauma can lead to nervous system dysregulation. This includes events like abuse, accidents or witnessing distressing events.
6. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Negative experiences during childhood, such as physical or emotional abuse, or neglect can impact nervous system development and cause dysregulation. It can also lead the nervous system to be stuck in a state of hyperarousal or hypoarousal, leading to dysregulation.
7. Underlying Health Conditions: Some health conditions, such as autoimmune diseases, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and hormonal imbalances can contribute to nervous system dysregulation. 

Common Signs of a Dysregulated Nervous System

Now you might be wondering, could this be me? Here’s a list of the top 10 physical and emotional signs of a dysregulated nervous system:

1. Feeling high-strung: You often feel on edge, worried and stressed out, even when things are going well. You have difficulty relaxing. 
2. Cravings and extreme appetite changes: Appetite might go up and down, this can be due to hormones being in constant flux, and issues with metabolism regulation. Food cravings are often of foods that are sugary, salty and fatty.
3. Emotional rollercoaster: You’re frequently irritable and reactive, and small things can set off an intense reaction. Your mood changes quickly and you find yourself overreacting.
4. Sleep issues: You don’t sleep well and feel tired during the day. Nervous system dysregulation can disrupt the sleep cycle, because your system has a hard time relaxing during sleep.
5. Cognitive issues: Difficulties maintaining attention or concentration, frequent energy slumps and/or constant fatigue, brain fog and trouble focusing on tasks or conversations.
6. Skin issues: Stress has been linked to a variety of skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, and hives. Stress-induced rashes are known as stress rashes and can be caused by a dysregulated nervous system.
7. Gut issues: Chronic stress can take a toll on our digestive system, leading to all kinds of issues such as: acid reflux, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain and IBS flare-ups.
8. Sensitivity to sensory stimuli: Easily overwhelmed by strong sensory stimuli, such as loud noises, big crowds, bright lights and even certain smells. Strong reaction to pain and easily irritated by small things that others don’t notice.
9. Hormonal Symptoms: With sympathetic over-activation there is a continuous release of cortisol and adrenaline from the adrenal glands which can create imbalances.
10. Immune issues: The autonomic nervous system regulates both innate and adaptive immunity. An imbalance in this system can create altered inflammatory responses, as seen in autoimmune disorders. It can result in frequently catching a cold or flu, and generally feeling run down.
11. Chronic pain and illness: Chronic nervous system dysregulation can lead to a variety of chronic pain and illness. Pain or flare-ups can be a sign that your body has been experiencing high levels of sympathetic arousal for an extended time.

As you can see, dysregulation can present in a ton of different ways, many of which might not be super obvious at first glance. This is because your nervous system is involved in so many of your body’s functions. Over time, chronic dysregulation can contribute to burnout and anxiety, sleep disturbances, chronic pain conditions, hormonal imbalances, and a weakened immune system.

How to Regulate your Nervous System – 13 techniques to restore balance 

Have you ever used a breathing exercise to calm yourself down when you feel agitated or anxious? If so, then you’ve already practiced down-regulation! Try these simple techniques to help regulate your nervous system. Whether it’s mindfulness, massage or movement, find out what works for you and prioritize your nervous system health. 

1. Breathing exercises

There are many types of breathing exercises that can help, including box breathing, diaphragmatic or belly breathing, alternate nostril breathing, 4-7-8 breathing, and many more! A physiological sigh is a natural deep breathing pattern, consisting of two quick inhales followed by a longer exhale out the mouth. This can calm the sympathetic system and activate the parasympathetic system, and has been well studied to be very effective. Check out our Breathwork 101 post for more breathing techniques.

2. Prioritize sleep

Sleep is the time when our bodies rest, rejuvenate and restore, and is critical for stress management. During sleep, our brain doesn’t just reset, but it also uses this time to allow neurons to communicate with each other, leading to regulation. Sleep can also help clear stressors from your mind, and leave you feeling refreshed. Great sleep starts with a great night time routine, which you can learn about more in our Night Time Routines 101 post.

3. Move your body

Exercise is a powerful stress reliever and also assists in regulating the nervous system. Ideally moderate exercise, but it can be anything that you enjoy, whether that’s walking, yoga or dancing around in your underpants! The more enjoyable the activity is to you the more you can help reduce tension and help your body feel more relaxed.

4. Connect with nature

Going outside into nature can have a very calming effect, decreasing your anxiety levels and can help lessen stress. Shinrin-yoku, or Forest bathing, is a practice in which you walk in any natural environment and consciously connect to what’s around you. Studies have shown that our minds and bodies relax in a natural setting.

5. Place your feet on the earth

Earthing, also known as grounding, is the practice of making direct contact with the ground. Grounding exercises can soothe your sympathetic nervous system, stabilizing your autonomic nervous system by boosting your vagal tone. This can even regulate a racing heart and deepen breathing.

6. Take a cold shower or bath

There are many mental health benefits with ice baths that you can experience, such as: improving your mood and reducing stress, as well as alleviating depression and anxiety. A chilly jolt from cold water signals to your brain to release endorphins, the feel-good hormone. Cold water may also decrease cortisol, a stress-inducing hormone, and also builds stress resilience.

7. Introduce mindfulness into your routine to help reduce stress

Focusing on mindfulness, or really being present in the current moment alters the autonomic function by activating the parasympathetic and quieting the sympathetic nervous system, which also improves cardiorespiratory health. People who practice mindfulness have lower blood levels of cortisol. Take the time to really experience your environment with all of your senses — touch, sound, sight, smell and taste. For more ways to be present, check out our Mindfulness 101 post here!

8. Meditate to help calm your mind

Meditation can have many benefits that include helping to reduce stress and tension in the body to restore the nervous system. There are many types of meditation, including mantra, guided, loving kindness and many others. Or you can focus on your breath. For a deeper dive into meditation, check out our Meditation 101 post here!

9. Humming, Singing or Laughing

Humming, singing and laughing can stimulate the vagus nerve, which is the main nerve in your parasympathetic nervous system. The vagus nerve, the Latin word for wandering, is the longest cranial nerve, traveling from your brain to your large intestine. Stimulating this nerve can help you feel relaxed. Laughing and singing also increase oxygen intake, which can improve energy and mood as well.

10. Get a massage or give yourself one

Massage has been shown to have a positive effect on the nervous system, improving circulation and helping to reduce stress hormones. Touch can be a powerful tool in your toolkit for relaxation. You can either go for a healing massage or give yourself one! Just start by rubbing your feet, temple, neck, arms wherever you feel your stress is stored. 

11. Try tapping

Emotional Freedom Technique, also known as EFT or Tapping, is a technique that combines principles of ancient Chinese acupressure and modern psychology. It involves gently tapping specific points on the body, called acupressure, while focusing on a calming phrase. This sends calming signals to the brain, helping us move into a state of relaxed alertness. Studies have shown tapping decreases cortisol. This form of psychological acupressure can help release emotional and physical tension.

12. Guided imagery:

Guided imagery involves using your imagination to visualize a peaceful scene or situation. This can help activate the relaxation response by reducing stress and tension in the body.

13. Progressive muscle relaxation

Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique that involves tensing and relaxing different muscle groups to help release tension and stress in the body. It teaches you how to relax your muscles through a two-step process, first tensing and then releasing the tension and notice how your muscles feel when you relax them.

We hope this list can get you started on your journey to a regulated nervous system, in which you can respond to stress and then come back to calm, up and down regulating with more ease. The benefits of a well-regulated nervous system are numerous, and may include improved emotional and mental well-being, improved mood, improved sleep quality, better physical health and increased focus and concentration. Taking care of your nervous system isn’t just about managing stress; it’s about cultivating a state of well-being that allows you to thrive. The key is finding what resonates with your body and mind and making it a regular part of your routine.

Pick one that speaks to you and start a practice today!