21 Easy Tools to Calm Your Nervous System
The nervous system is intelligently designed to protect us. It picks up on cues to potential danger in our environment so that we can react accordingly. However, the nervous system can become dysregulated after prolonged exposure to stressful factors.
Poor sleep, chronic stress or fatigue, anxiety, noise, and relationship troubles are common factors that can cause dysregulation. Although it might seem challenging to avoid all of these, countless tools are quick, easy, or free to use.
Symptoms of Nervous System Dysregulation
What does a dysregulated nervous system look like? Symptoms may include sleep issues, digestive issues, difficulty focusing, racing heartbeat, or dizziness. More extreme symptoms can also involve physical tension or seemingly spontaneous feelings of panic or dread. Next, let’s see what tools we can use to aid in self-regulation.
Sleep
The most effective way to regulate your nervous system is to ensure you have a healthy sleep routine and enough sleep. Sufficient rest is crucial for the entire body to function optimally. Likewise, when we don’t get enough sleep, even if all other areas of our lives are doing well, it can still negatively impact our mood or focus.
Minimizing Screen Time
Minimizing screen time, especially before sleep or right after waking up, can help maintain healthier hormonal levels. Otherwise, reaching for our devices during these pivotal times disrupts our sleep and hormones and overwhelms us with information, thoughts, and feelings at a time when we should be in our most relaxed state.
You can easily limit screen time by configuring the settings on your phone or setting an alarm as a reminder. Additionally, glasses with blue light protection are also effective.
Meditation
Meditation has many benefits, including deactivating your sympathetic nervous system (your fight or flight response) and turning on the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps you to relax. Studies have found that long-term practice of meditation can help with decreasing pain, depression, stress, and anxiety.
Exercise
Exercise, particularly weightlifting, is one of the most powerful ways to improve overall health. Exercise has a long list of benefits: dopamine and testosterone levels increase, it elevates mood, flexibility and mobility, cardiovascular health, and decreases average blood pressure, and the risk of cancer.
Breathing Exercises
A quick way to self-soothe anytime, anywhere, is to practice breathing exercises. Dr. Tracy Carver, a licensed psychologist, suggests the following technique: “Box breathing is really helpful, where you count to four for your inhale, hold for four at the top, count to four for your exhale, and then hold for four at the bottom.”
Heat Therapy
Exposure to warmth can soothe us, too. A hot bubble bath, a trip to the sauna, heated pads, or even just holding a hot cup of tea can shift us back into a relaxed state.
Cryotherapy
The body can develop a stronger immune system and a more regulated nervous system through careful and intentional exposure to a stressful stimulant such as cold temperatures. Most notable is the Wim Hof method, which has gained popularity in recent years. An easy way to reap the benefits of cryotherapy within the confines of your own home is simply taking a cold shower.
Minimizing Stimulation
According to Caroline Leaf, PhD, a neuroscientist, it is the unconscious mind’s role to interpret stimuli, whether internal (sadness, anxiety, anger) or external stimuli (noise, crowds, or other stressful factors), and react strategically so that we are protected. As such, our nervous systems can get dysregulated if there’s too much going on. By removing these stressful factors, we can avoid stimulation overload.
Sensory Stimulation
On the other hand, according to a study by Samantha A. Hindman, some people find comfort through sensory stimulation. This can mean playing with a fidget toy, curling up under a weighted blanket, or eating your comfort meal in a mindful manner as you savor each bite. It can also mean meditating over an item that has sentimental or spiritual value, like a necklace or a painting.
Musical Therapy
Listening to your favorite music is not just a fun pastime. Musical therapy can positively affect the body’s stress response: It helps the body recover faster, improves hormones, and alleviates psychological stress.
Aromatherapy
Studies show aromatherapy has a wide range of health benefits, such as regulating hormonal levels and improving mood. Lavender, for instance, is known to help combat anxiety and depression. Each essential oil has different properties, benefits, or contraindications. To safely experiment with aromatherapy, please consult your healthcare practitioner first.
Massage Therapy
Massages can be of many different types, from a full-body Swedish massage, to a sports massage or lymphatic-drainage focused treatment. Massages can improve sleep, lessen pain and muscle tension, as well as reduce anxiety and stress.
Eating Healthy Fats
According to scientific research, healthy fats are very beneficial for our nervous system. Eating foods like avocados, nuts, ghee (clarified butter), or certain fish actively helps to regulate the nervous system.
Hugging
It is well known that physical touch plays a crucial role in the emotional development and emotional regulation of infants and children. Oxytocin, the love hormone, is released during hugs, helping us bond. This remains true for adults as well.
Hugging a loved one can be therapeutic and comforting, especially during distressing times. Hugs also improve sleep and strengthen the immune system.
Grounding
Spending time in nature, ideally with direct skin contact with the earth, is proven to change your body’s electrical charge and directly impact cortisol levels. A 2009 study by the Interdisciplinary Centre for Environment and Society also shows that exercising in nature positively influences mental health, both long-term and short-term.
Herbal Medicine
Adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha or rhodiola have multiple benefits. Adaptogenic refers to its ability to help our immune systems better adapt to stress. This happens by directly impacting the adrenal glands, which create hormones that help regulate the nervous system.
Additionally, Ashwagandha can also help with anxiety. Just make sure you consult with your healthcare practitioner before trying new herbs.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a therapeutic technique that is part of traditional Chinese medicine. It refers to the practice of inserting thin needles into strategic points of the body and has been used effectively for anxiety and nervousness, circadian rhythm disorders, Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and other health issues.
Singing or Laughing
Singing or laughing is free medicine for the body. Increasing oxygen intake activates the body’s parasympathetic nervous system, thus lowering blood pressure. Additionally, evidence suggests potential long-term health benefits for singing, such as cardio-physiological fitness – another reason to practice singing in the shower. As for laughter, it gives cues to the body to shift into a calm state and, as such, can lower stress hormones.
EFT Tapping
Emotional freedom tapping (EFT) is the emerging practice of tapping various points on your body while you focus on a phrase or mantra that is comforting to you. This can be a positive affirmation or a loving reminder like “I am enough.” A few examples of areas include the center of your forehead, the inside of your palm, or just below your lip.
Cuddling With Your Pet
If you have a dog or a cat, you might already be enjoying the benefits of cuddling with your pet on a daily basis. Much like with a hug, petting our animal companions can boost serotonin, the happy drug, which positively affects our mood and wellbeing.
According to Leslie A. Lyons, an assistant professor at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, a cat’s purr may help improve bone density and lower pain in the body. Additionally, even looking at photos of your pet can improve your mood and boost your sense of well being.
Repeating Mantras
Evidence shows that repeating a mantra can rebalance the nervous system. The mind thrives on familiarity, and by directing focus to a mantra, we also move focus away from stressful factors.
- Here are some mantras we love: 12 Self-Acceptance Mantras to Live By