If you’re feeling anxious, exhausted or burnt out, it can be easy to point to circumstantial or situational reasons. However, these symptoms may be symbolic of a dysregulated nervous system. Read on to explore common signs of nervous system dysregulation and techniques to help regulate it.
What is a Dysregulated Nervous System?
Our nervous system is often called the body’s “control center”. It’s a complex network that quietly manages a lot behind the scenes, from how we move and speak to how our organs function and even how we feel.
Your nervous system constantly responds to everything around you — from loud noises and sudden changes in temperature to social situations and emotional stress.
When your nervous system gets out of balance, that’s known as a dysregulated nervous system. In simple terms, it means the body’s stress-response systems stay on high alert (or completely shut down) even when there’s no real danger.
Signs of a Dysregulated Nervous System
Your nervous system can show you it’s dysregulated in a few different ways. Pay close attention to your body and emotions, as they could be giving you important clues:
- Physical Symptoms. Doctors sometimes call these “functional” disorders because there’s no clear medical cause, but they’re very real and often tied to how the nervous system is functioning. They can include:
- Chronic fatigue
- Frequent headaches or migraines
- Digestive issues (such as indigestion or IBS)
- Sleep disturbances (insomnia or unrestful sleep)
- Emotional Symptoms. Often people mistake these for standalone mental health issues, but they may stem from an overwhelmed nervous system. They may include:
- Heightened anxiety (constant worry, fear, or hypervigilance often accompanied with a racing heart)
- Feelings of depression or hopelessness (especially in a “shutdown” state)
- Irritability or anger outbursts
- Cognitive Symptoms. The brain’s ability to focus and process information is impaired when stress responses never fully turn off. Cognitive symptoms include:
- “Brain fog” and confusion
- Trouble concentrating or making decisions
- Memory problems
- Racing thoughts or overthinking that won’t shut off
How to Regulate a Dysregulated Nervous System– Scientifically
If you’re experiencing some nervous system dysregulation, there are many different ways to help restore balance and combat the discomfort you may feel. Here’s a few research-backed approaches to reduce symptoms of dysregulation:
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT is a widely used therapy that helps individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors that fuel stress and anxiety. By reframing catastrophic thoughts and learning coping skills, patients can dial down the sympathetic “alarm” response.
Read more about CBT Techniques for Anxiety that you can implement
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR is a specialized trauma therapy that has been proven effective for PTSD. It involves recalling traumatic memories while engaging in bilateral stimulation (like guided eye movements), which helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories and integrate them properly. After successful EMDR therapy, many people report that triggers which once caused intense panic or dissociation no longer have the same power.
Learn more about the 8 Unique Phases of EMDR.
- Mindfulness-Based Therapies: Mindfulness practices are strongly evidence-based for stress reduction. By practicing mindfulness, individuals learn to observe their thoughts and body sensations without judgment, which can interrupt spirals of worry and calm the nervous system. Therapies like Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) incorporate mindfulness and have been shown to improve emotional regulation in people with intense mood swings.
How to Heal Your Nervous System– Alternative & Holistic Practices
Our daily habits and activities send signals of either safety or stress to our body. Incorporating some of these lifestyle practices can help strengthen your nervous system’s resilience:
- Yoga and Gentle Movement: Yoga is a mind-body practice that combines movement, stretching, and breath control – making it ideal for nervous system regulation. Yoga has been shown to reduce cortisol and ease anxiety over time. The gentle physical postures also release muscle tension that accumulates from chronic stress. Learn more about mental health benefits through exercising.
- Somatic Experiencing and Body Awareness: Outside of formal therapy, you can incorporate somatic (body) practices on your own.
- Somatic experiencing techniques: pay attention to where you feel stress in your body and then release it by shaking or relaxing your muscles.
- Progressive muscle relaxation: systematically tense and then release each muscle group, which can activate the relaxation response.
- Grounding exercises: place your feet on the floor and sense the support of the ground or use your five senses to get out of your racing mind and back into your body.
- Nutrition and Hydration: What you eat and drink profoundly affects your nervous system. Aim for a diet rich in whole foods, with plenty of vegetables and fruits, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Try to avoid high amounts of caffeine, sugar and alcohol, which can aggravate anxiety and dysregulation. Staying hydrated is also important, as even mild dehydration can strain the body. Some people find herbal teas or adaptogens helpful for regulation, too.
- Prioritizing Sleep and Rest: Sleep is when our nervous system repairs itself. Aim for a consistent sleep schedule and 7–9 hours of sleep per night. Practice good sleep hygiene: a dark, cool room, no screen exposure before bed, and a calming routine (like journaling or gentle stretches) to signal your body to wind down.
- Social Support and Connection: Human connection is a powerful regulator of the nervous system. This is often called co-regulation – when you’re with someone who is calm, caring, and attuned to you, your body can literally sync up and become calmer. Even pets can provide soothing co-regulation for many people. Don’t underestimate the power of a supportive presence.
Take a look at more ideas for alternative therapies to improve your mental health.
Heal Yourself from the Inside Out- Help is Available
A dysregulated nervous system can manifest in many distressing ways – physically, emotionally, mentally – but these are recognizable and, importantly, reversible. Using the above tips, you can help heal your nervous system from the inside out.
The experts at Associated Clinic of Psychology are here to help- you don’t have to go through this alone! We can match you with a provider that will target exactly what you need a little help with, so that you can start living a life that feels calmer and easier- you deserve it!
Request an Appointment Today to take control of your nervous system and start living a more integrated life.
