7 Tips to Regulate Your Nervous System
7 ways to regulate your nervous system
The chances are, if you in in tune with yourself you will have experienced anxiety.
Stressors of everyday life can creep up on us, causing chronic pains
Unprocessed trauma stored in the body can dys-regulate the system showing up as chronic pain, anxiety, moods swings or low mood.
Did you know, your overall emotions, thoughts and behaviour are controlled by the nervous system?
The body’s neuroception- controlled by the nervous system.
The polyvagal ladder theory describes this is the body scanning our environment for cues of safety or danger. It is constantly ticking below our subconscious, although you are likely to be aware of the physiological responses it causes.
Simplify it, think about when you are in a comfortable, peaceful surrounding (Nature/Home activating the parasympathetic rest/digest response) vs how you feel when you are in a busy, stressful surroundings (City/Airport activating the sympathetic flight/fight/freeze response)
Adrenaline vs Rest
It is healthy to move through these states comfortably, but what happens when we get constantly stuck on one of these sympathetic responses?
Our system becomes dys-regulated due to the Nervous system (Neuroception) believing it is in a challenging situation.
This then shows up as what we classically know as mental illness- stress, anxiety, depression, mood, sleep etc.
So how can we begin to teach ourselves regulation so we can move through life more fluidly without getting stuck?
Here are 7 ways to regulate your NS:
1. Rituals/Routines
We are creatures of rabbit.
Having morning and evening rituals and routines can create internal feelings of safety and wellness.
This helps regulate our system.
2. Home Cooking
Coming home + treating yourself to preparing a home cooked meal is very nurturing and grounding.
It is teaching yourself self care, regulating your hormones and overall sense of wellbeing
3. Journalling
When your mind is full + you feel overwhelmed, there is nothing better than getting pen to paper and letting your thoughts run wild.
Set yourself a 10 minute timer and scribble/write away everything on your mind
It is free therapy and releases tension.
We have beautiful hand crafted journals here
4. Yoga
Yoga is so powerful for healing the nervous system because you are consciously slowing down, connecting to the breath + creating movement. Evoking these feelings of mindfulness helps regulate the system.
If yoga isn’t your thing, nature walks also create this same mindful sensation.
5. Herbal Teas/Tinctures
Supporting your system with natural herbs can be very beneficial for frayed nerviness and an overworked mind.
Herbs such as passionflower, valerian, lemon balm, oat straw + rose are all very healing for the nervous system.
Find support for the nervous system with our nerving collection here:
6. Cold Water Therapy
Cold water stimulates the vagus nerve. This nerve controls your parasympathetic nervous system.
This nerve activates our rest and digest response, counteracting fight/flight responses- especially good if this is easily switched on and becomes stuck causing anxiety, stress and chronic pain
The nervous system ultimately governs our behaviours, responses and thoughts. It controls our gut health. When regulated with a healthy vagus nerve, it triggers relaxation, flushing cortisol levels from the body.
In term, this decreases anxiety, chronic pains, mood fluctuations, depression and deepens sleep.
7. Sunlight
Spending 20 minutes a day in pure sunlight activates our hormones producing serotonin.
Serotonin is responsible for regulating our overall mood health.
Coco