Your nervous system is constantly working behind the scenes, orchestrating your responses to the world around you. When you experience stress, your sympathetic nervous system—often called "fight or flight"—activates, preparing your body to respond to perceived danger.
This response was evolutionarily designed to help us survive immediate physical threats. The problem? In our modern world, this system activates in response to emails, deadlines, and social media notifications—stressors that don't require a physical response.
The Autonomic Nervous System: Your Internal Control Center
Your autonomic nervous system has two main branches: the sympathetic ("fight or flight") and parasympathetic ("rest and digest"). These work in tandem to regulate your internal state.
When your sympathetic system activates, your heart rate increases, breathing quickens, and blood flow diverts to your muscles. This is helpful in true emergencies but can be depleting when chronically activated.
Your parasympathetic system, on the other hand, promotes relaxation, digestion, and recovery. It's essential for healing and restoration.
Signs Your Nervous System Is Dysregulated
How do you know if your nervous system is stuck in sympathetic activation? Common signs include:
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Digestive issues
- Feeling on edge or easily startled
- Racing thoughts
- Difficulty concentrating
- Shallow breathing
- Tension in the jaw, neck, or shoulders
If these sound familiar, your body may be stuck in a stress response, even if you don't consciously feel stressed.
Simple Practices for Nervous System Regulation
The good news? You can learn to regulate your nervous system with simple, accessible practices:
- Diaphragmatic breathing: Slow, deep breaths that engage your diaphragm signal safety to your nervous system.
- Cold exposure: A brief cold shower or splashing cold water on your face can activate the parasympathetic response.
- Humming or singing: These activities stimulate the vagus nerve, which is key to parasympathetic activation.
- Movement: Gentle, rhythmic movement helps discharge stress hormones and reset your system.
- Nature immersion: Time in natural settings has been shown to reduce stress markers and promote regulation.
The key is consistency. Brief practices throughout your day are more effective than occasional longer sessions.
The PEACE Loop: A Framework for Regulation
At Satarí, we use the PEACE Loop as a framework for nervous system regulation:
- Pause: Create space between stimulus and response
- Engage: Notice what's happening in your body
- Articulate: Name and express what you're experiencing
- Connect: Return to your center before reaching out
- Embody: Integrate the experience through your body
This framework helps you move through dysregulation with awareness and intention, rather than being controlled by automatic responses.
Remember: Your Nervous System Is Adaptable
The most important thing to remember is that your nervous system is incredibly adaptable. With consistent practice and patience, you can reshape your default responses and create more capacity for stress.
This isn't about never feeling stressed—it's about developing the ability to move through stress and return to regulation more easily.
In future articles, we'll explore specific techniques for nervous system regulation in more depth. For now, try incorporating one or two of the practices mentioned above into your daily routine and notice what shifts for you.