Understanding Nervous System Regulation For Better Mental And Physical Health

By Author: Sherina Mart
Total Articles: 4
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In this day and age, so many individuals suffer from too much stress, anxiety, fatigue and even unspecified physical problems. However, the truth is that while pills or quick trips to the hardware store to buy Airborne can seem like solutions, we can find a better answer within ourselves by regulating our nervous system. This is a required process that returns our bodies to readiness, making us feel safer, calmer, and more in control of our responses.
The nerve center of our body. It regulates everything from our heartbeat and digestion to our emotional responses and the amount of energy we have. With trauma, stress and patterns, our nervous system can become deregulated. This can also manifest as a lack of sleep, a short temper, headaches, or a constantly 'on edge' feeling.
Why nervous system regulation matters
However, it helps the body bounce back from its dysregulated state, which can be achieved through the regulation of the nervous system. When our nervous system is in shape, we're calm, focused and resilient. We also have more capacity to tolerate daily stressors ...
... and process earlier events without becoming overwhelmed. It's not simply about calming down in the moment. It's about long-term change in our relationship to life.
One of the most critical systems regulating body processes is the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), which encompasses sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) activity. In a well-regulated system, these branches work in concert, adjusting the body's temperature as needed. However, in a dysregulated system, we can become stuck in either a state of high alert, characterized by a perpetual sense of being highly concerned, worried, or tense, or in a state of shutdown, feeling numb, depleted, or disconnected.
Tools for nervous system regulation
The good news here is that there is hope, as even a dysregulated nervous system can be trained to regulate over time. It's not about "fixing" yourself. It's about teaching your body. It can once again know safety, and your sensations will do their job.
Some effective techniques include:
Breath work: Deep and slow breathing can tell the body that it is safe to relax.
Somatic awareness: Sensing body sensations brings you into the present and out of a state of survival.
Grounding exercises: These may help you reconnect with your surroundings and reduce feelings of overwhelm.
Mild activity: Light exercise, such as stretching or going for a walk, is a form of energy that can help work off excess and also ground us.
Mindfulness: Attending to what's happening to thoughts and feelings without judgment can help to unstick patterns.
With enough practice with these tools, you can begin to "re-set" this new baseline normal and do so from chaos to calm, survival to thriving.
The path to regulation is long:
Nobody's nervous system is exactly like anyone else's, and there's no one correct answer. What works for a man may not work for the other? The secret, many say, is consistency and patience, with a healthy dose of listening to what your body truly wants. With support and the right tools, over time, a practice of nervous system regulation can become second nature, laying the foundation for long-term emotional and physical health.
Healing is not being symptom-free; instead, it is the relationship between the symptom and what it's like to be at ease. Moderating the nervous system Can result in more connected, peaceful and empowered living.
This article's author is Sherina Mart. For additional information regarding Nervous System Regulation Please continue browsing our website at:retrainingthebrain.com.