A regulated nervous system - it’s a journey, not a destination
Everyone is talking about a Dysregulated Nervous System but what does it actually mean?
I listened to a podcast yesterday and the woman was describing what it took to get regulated and I cringed because it was missing a big piece. She was describing Nervous System Regulation as a destination. As if it was a state to attain to and then be done. All you need to do is take these 4 steps and your nervous system will be regulated and you’ll never have to worry about it again.
I wish it were that easy.
The reality is that a regulated nervous system is not a destination, it’s not something you lock into place, but it’s something you will work at your entire life.
It’s exactly the same as having a healthy body. You don’t pursue a healthy lifestyle until you get healthy and then you can eat nothing but cookies and be a couch potato for the rest of your life and still maintain your health. Or sleep for a week straight so you can then forego sleep the week after. Our nervous system operates on a dial, and that dial adjusts based on our lifestyle, thoughts, and experiences.
I think the confusion comes in because there is a difference between keeping your nervous system in a regulated state, versus going from dysregulated to regulated.
To understand this, you need to first understand what it actually means to be dysregulated.
What is a Dysregulated Nervous System?
Our Autonomic Nervous System is constantly on the alert for threats. This could be external threats or internal threats. It could be that we have a virus, or it could be that our company is laying off people and we think we’re next. Our Nervous System responds to anything it deems a threat to our safety.
When we are dysregulated, it’s like that danger meter is turned WAY up. Any tiny threat, and alarms will start sounding everywhere. We startle at the smallest sound. A dog barks and our heart starts pounding and we struggle to calm down. Or things that make us a little uncomfortable like social gatherings or stepping outside our comfort zone will put us into full on shut down mode.
It’s like having a smoke alarm that’s so sensitive that it goes off because your neighbor down the street is cooking bacon.
We want to have a smoke alarm. We want to have that Fight/Flight/Freeze response. Being regulated doesn’t mean that goes away. Being regulated does not mean that we’re never stressed or we never startle or we never feel anxiety. Those responses are life saving when it’s actually necessary.
Being regulated means those states are triggered appropriately, and we’re able to seamlessly move in and out of each state as needed.
How do you know if your nervous system is dysregulated?
Here are some telltale signs:
Anxiety or depression
Easily overwhelmed or irritable
Mood swings
Panic attacks
Racing thoughts
Sleep issues
Blood sugar imbalances
Hypersensitivity to sensory data (startle easily, smell sensitivities, etc)
Digestive Issues (IBS, gas, bloating, acid reflux)
Auto-immune disorders
Hormonal imbalances (low thyroid, estrogen dominance, low progesterone)
Increased heart rate or palpitations
Weight gain (especially belly fat)
Hair loss
Low libido
Any one of these issues could be indicators of other things going on, but for just about every symptom in the body, the first place you want to look is your nervous system because it regulates everything else that’s happening in your body.
And here is where I see people getting stuck. If you are dysregulated, or the dial of your nervous system is set to extra sensitive; what is needed to regulate is likely going to be different than what is needed to stay regulated.
For instance, say you want to grow an abundant garden. You know you need quality seeds, quality soil, regular water, and sunshine.
But what if the garden area you’ve chosen is full of noxious weeds and the soil is completely depleted? Just tilling that area and then planting won’t be enough. You need to first remove the weeds from the root, replenish the soil, AND THEN you can do all of the things to grow a healthy garden.
Our body and nervous system work the same.
This is the reason that so many people will try breath work, going for walks, grounding, journaling - all of the things recommended for nervous system regulation - and it won’t work for them.
Their dial needs to be adjusted first.
This is why I created my course Regulate + Thrive. It’s the foundational pieces that helped me to finally regulate my nervous system. It was the areas I needed to address first to retrain my nervous system.
I’m so excited for this course to launch! I’m hopeful it will give you what you need to change your nervous system dial so it’s set appropriately.
CLICK HERE for the Pre-Launch info where you can grab this course for the best price it’ll ever be!
