Nervous System Regulation 101

Having a “dysregulated nervous system” seems to be the new trend in the wellness corner of social media, along with “cortisol moon face”, the carnivore diet, and sea moss. Ironically, the wellness space (like any other space on social media) is prone to fads and trends and SO many extreme, loud views… which are inherently stressful and overwhelming!

Your nervous system is incredibly important for all functions in your body (aka not feeling like crap all the time). From sleep to digestion, if your nervous system is feeling fried- nothing’s going to run smoothly. The simple reason for this? Your nervous system is stuck in survival mode.

“WHY?” You might ask, “it’s not like I’m being chased by a tiger!”

And you would be right… but your body doesn’t know that.

Living in today’s world means 24/7 access to limitless content and knowledge, fear-based news coverage, social comparison, consumerism, overly busy schedules, not to mention the sleep-disrupting blue light beaming from every screen.

Let’s take a look at the two divisions of your autonomic nervous system to see what you body interprets as a “tiger”.

Parasympathetic vs Sympathetic Modes

Your nervous system is divided into two modes: the parasympathetic nervous system (“rest and digest”) and the sympathetic nervous system (“fight or flight”).

As the nicknames suggest, these two modes are very different! Being in “rest and digest” is when your body can heal, digest, recover from workouts, reduce inflammation, quiet the mind, and have enough nutrients left over to produce glowing hair, skin, and nails!

Conversely, “fight or flight” mode is… not restful (obviously). Digestion gets wonky- leading either to constipation or diarrhea, your heart races, blood flows to your extremities to prepare for action, etc. And this is fine if it’s a genuinely life-threatening situation. Fight or flight is what allows moms to become superhuman and lift cars off a child!

But for the majority of us, modern life is incredibly overstimulating, resulting in long-term, low-grade, chronic stress. Unfortunately, our body doesn’t know the difference, so it deploys the same 5-alarm-fire response for an inbox full of urgent tasks as if it were a tiger about to pounce on us.

And when we have that level of stress response day after day, it takes a toll on our body.

Effects of Long-Term Sympathetic Nervous System Dominance

Hormonal Balance:

Heightened long-term stress impacts women more acutely, not because we are “weaker”, but because our hormonal composition is more complex than men’s. When cortisol and adrenaline remain elevated, they drive down progesterone which is a hormone essential for healthy cycles and fertility! This can manifest as symptoms like PMS, mood swings, and irregular cycles.

Digestion:

The gut and the nervous system are intricately linked through the gut-brain axis. Stress can impair digestion and exacerbate gut-related issues. Most women I see in my practice deal with leaky gut plus gut dysbiosis (SIBO, candida yeast, h pylori) plus nervous system dysregulation. The result? Extreme constipation, bloating, gas, discomfort, acne, and lack of nourishment.

Brain Fog:

A well-regulated nervous system promotes mental clarity and cognitive function. So when our fight or flight mode get stuck in the “on” position, we experience the opposite: increased anxiety, racing thoughts, overwhelm, impaired memory, and difficulty assimilating information. If you’ve been feeling like your brain just doesn’t work anymore, I promise that’s not the case!

Exhaustion + Fatigue:

With prolonged time in the sympathetic mode, inflammation remains elevated which leads to poor recovery after workouts or even just the regular demands of physical life. Combined with interrupted sleep (feeling “tired and wired” so you either can’t fall asleep or can’t stay asleep), this wears down your body. Aches, pains, and exhaustion are common with a dysregulated nervous system.

Give Your Nervous System a Hug

If you’re feeling doomed to always be overwhelmed by modern life- after all, we still have to exist in today’s reality- I get it. But here are some actionable tips and habits you can implement that actually work and allow you to still exist in the 21st century.

Get Back Into Your Body

There are so many different flavors of breathwork and somatics, but here are some of my favorites that help me get out of my head and into the rest of my body.

• Shake it off: just like T Swift says, shaking your body can actually help to move nervous energy OUT. Shaking or wiggling is a movement that we as adults don’t do very often, and it helps us feel into parts of our body that don’t move when we’re sitting at a desk.

  This can also be done through dancing, but I find that I focus too much on music or moves when dancing, but do what works for you!

• Yin Flow: alternatively, if you need to slow down and feel grounded, put on a yin yoga flow. This form of yoga is focused on feeling the body and slowly moving through sticky points instead of toning or balance.

• Box Breathing: This simple breathwork practice can be done anywhere (aka in the bathroom at work since it’s not noisy). Take a deep breath through your belly not your chest, breathing in for four seconds, holding for four seconds, exhaling slowly for four seconds, and holding again for four seconds. Repeat for a whole minute and see how you feel.

• The Butterfly Tap: This practice uses bilateral vagal nerve stimulation (a whole other blog post) to switch your body into “rest and digest mode”. Interlace your thumbs to make a butterfly and tap your chest with your fingers, alternating sides for 2-3 minutes. I do this in my car before I go into an event or work because it helps me transition and reminds me to be present!

And remember: a regulated nervous system is a flexible nervous system. It’s not about being zen all the time. The goal is to respond to stressors and not get stuck there! ♥