In a culture in which everything feels urgent, social media is filled with bad news, and our work days feel endless, something’s bound to give. Often, that thing is our nervous systems. In fact, if you’re chronically feeling stressed, anxious, depressed, irritable, or worse, there’s a good chance your nervous system is dysregulated.
But what exactly does it mean to have a “dysregulated” nervous system? And, most importantly, how can we get it back on track? Read on to find out.
What is the nervous system?
“Think of your nervous system as your body’s operating system, quietly working behind the scenes to influence how you feel, recover, and connect,” explains Rē Precision Health’s founder Lucy Oliver, MSci. “The more you learn about it, the more empowered you become in making choices that nurture your resilience.”
To that end, here’s a little refresher on the role of the nervous system. Basically, it acts as a messenger between the body and the brain via a network of nerves and neurons. According to the National Institute of Health, these nerves and neurons “transmit signals between the brain and the rest of the body, including internal organs. In this way, the nervous system’s activity controls the ability to move, breathe, see, think, and more.”
The nervous system can be divided into two parts, the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic system. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for responding to stressful situations and activating the body’s “fight or flight” response, while the parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body’s calmer “rest and digest” mode.
Ideally, our nervous system should be able to maintain an equilibrium between these two systems, dynamically switching between the two modes as needed. This state of balance is called “homeostasis”—a word you probably remember from seventh grade biology class. But if not, Britannica Kids offers this helpful definition: “homeostasis refers to the ability of the body to maintain a stable internal environment despite changes in external conditions.”
Living in survival mode
When we feel like we’re in danger, our sympathetic nervous system kicks on to protect us from the threat. “The brain goes into survival mode, mobilizing the sympathetic system to activate fight-flight mode,” explains Dr. Navaz Habib, a functional health practitioner who specializes in the vagus nerve. Essentially, survival mode is a state of hyper-vigilance in which the heart rate and blood pressure increase, readying the body to “fight or flee” if necessary.
Going into survival mode is actually healthy; our bodies evolved the mechanism as a way to keep us safe. If a tiger is chasing us, say we’d want that fight-flight response to kick in asap. Unfortunately, however, sometimes our bodies can get stuck in this mode, tiger or not.
“Any physical or psychological stimuli that disrupt homeostasis results in a stress response,” notes a recent scientific overview that looked at the physiology of the stress response. Not all of these stressors are negative—think: exercise, falling in love, and even working towards a goal. However, experiencing chronic stress (or repetitive acute stress) can cause the sympathetic nervous system to become overstimulated, preventing the parasympathetic nervous system from switching into rest-digest.
This dysregulation can lead to a cascade of adverse health effects. “Prolonged exposure to chronic stress can lead to cumulative physiological and psychological effects, increasing the risk of health problems such as cardiovascular disease, anxiety, and depression,” the aforementioned scientific overview states. “This pattern may be characteristic of individuals who lead chaotic or disorganized lifestyles, constantly facing deadlines, commitments, or interpersonal conflicts. The cycle of stress exacerbates health issues and impairs daily functioning.”
According to research, some people’s nervous systems are especially prone to dysregulation. “One of the biggest predictors of a severely dysregulated nervous system is childhood trauma, specifically chronic and ongoing childhood trauma,” notes certified clinical trauma specialist Annie Tanasugarn, PhD. This could be experiencing abuse or neglect, but it could also be more run-of-the-mill: “Many of us have childhood attachment wounds,” explains psychologist and author Nicole LePera. "Perhaps we weren’t safe to express our emotions fully, we suffered our parents’ inability to express theirs, or our environment was unpredictable. We learned, without realizing it, to be hypervigilant.”
But chronic stress and childhood trauma aren’t the only reasons one’s nervous system could become out of whack. Other risk factors include everything from burnout to hormonal imbalances to perfectionism to sleep deprivation to nutritional deficiencies. More severe situations, like undergoing physical or emotional abuse (at any age) or suffering from PTSD, prolonged illness or injuries, or living in an unsafe environment can also lead to dysregulation.
Signs your nervous system is dysregulated
“There is a common cluster of symptoms that accompany a dysregulated nervous system,” explains Oliver. “They include: sleep issues, digestive problems, brain fog, hormonal imbalance, emotional reactivity, muscle tension, anxiety, and more.”
For example, you may feel like you have a really short fuse or become prone to sudden emotional outbursts. You may also be extra sensitive to noise and feel super impatient most of the time. “There’s little tolerance for dealing with stress, so anything uncomfortable feels like a ‘dangerous’ experience,” explains Maggie Hayes, a somatic practitioner who specializes in healing the nervous system and trauma recovery. “Emotionally, you think you can’t change or fix how you feel. You feel blocked or resistant to your feelings, and you don’t know how to express anger, anxiety, or sadness in a way that feels healthy, productive, and safe.”
On a physical level, chronic dysregulation can manifest as constant muscle tension, inflammation, chronic pain, and even disease. It can also lead to dissociation—the state of being physically present but mentally absent. This state of “freeze” can feel like disconnection or numbness, a desire to isolate yourself, or the need to constantly occupy your mind by incessantly scrolling on your phone. “You may feel no connection with your body at all,” says Hayes.
While these symptoms are all telltale signs of dysregulation, Oliver notes that it can be helpful to get some hard data to confirm. “HRV (heart rate variability) measurements can provide more insight,” she explains. “Low HRV is indicative of a greater level of nervous system dysregulation. Additionally, biomarkers like hormone levels, blood pressure, and metabolic markers can show allostatic load, which is essentially the wear and tear that stress causes on the body—an indirect measure of nervous system regulation.”
How to regulate the nervous system
When it comes to regulating your nervous system, there are no quick fixes—it’s more about the long game. “However, there are certainly some easy and free things you can do to boost parasympathetic nervous system activity,” says Oliver, who shares her tips below.
Breathing: Try extended exhale breathing. Inhale for two counts, then exhale for four. Get into the habit of practicing this so that it becomes your default.
Movement: Whether it’s a walk, a workout class, or simply dancing around your living room, moving your body in ways that feel nourishing can help reduce baseline cortisol and adrenaline while boosting serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins—all of which improve mood.
Nature: Even brief time outdoors or short contact with green spaces can ease your nervous system.
Connect: Spend quality time with a supportive friend, family member, or pet. Even a short chat with a coworker or neighbor can lower stress.
Journal: Bullet journaling, gratitude journaling, and junk journaling can all be a helpful way to untangle thoughts and process emotions.
Reduce chronic stressors: This can mean everything from heavy metals to mold to processed foods to toxic relationships.
It’s also a good idea to seek professional help—especially if the dysregulation is the result of trauma. To that end, Oliver recommends exploring modalities such as somatic experiencing therapy, EMDR, neurofeedback, HRV training, and potentially even working with a nutritionist to improve gut health. “There is a direct connection between the gut and brain via the vagus nerve,” she says, noting that combining multiple modalities with education is usually the most effective way to create long-lasting balance.
Just remember, healing is a process—and small changes can really add up. “Turn to things in your environment that the body is designed to love: sunshine, nature, hydration, healthy food, and secure social relationships,” Hayes advises. “Slowing down when performing the most mundane tasks like eating, walking, brushing your teeth, and doing the dishes can go a long way to helping the emergency signals pause.”
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