The stress and anxiety you encounter in your day-to-day life can lead to a dysregulated nervous system. Symptoms like being unable to focus on routine tasks, heightened fear or anxiety, or an overly active fight-or-flight response may be signs your body is telling you that you need a nervous system reset. When your nervous system is dysregulated, your daily life, relationships, mental health, and physical wellbeing are negatively impacted, which is why calming your nervous system and partaking in a whole-body reset can be extremely beneficial.
Symptoms of a dysregulated nervous system:
Overthinking
Dissociating
Engaging in codependent behavior
Mood swings
Forgetful
Depression
Nausea/stomach pain/irritable bowels
Irregular breathing
Fatigue
Benefits of calming your nervous system:
Reduced stress levels
Improved sleep and appetite
Longer attention span
Reduced risk of disease
Improved performance of daily tasks and activities
How to Reset Your Nervous System
When you notice signs of a dysregulated nervous system, there are several methods you can use to reset your command center and prioritize your emotional and mental health. There are four mindfulness modalities that can help to reset the nervous system: meditation, movement, breathwork, and sound.
Meditation
The research over the past few years has finally caught up to what the ancient yogis and mystics have known for centuries: meditation has a real and observable impact on your mind and body. During meditation, you are directly activating the parasympathetic nervous system instead, our “rest-and-digest” function, which rewires our brain to reach a state of relaxation. This is especially beneficial when focusing on resetting your nervous system, which may be stuck in a perpetual state of “fight-or-flight” (also known as the sympathetic nervous system).
Over time, this continued state of mental training will present tangible results. Studies have shown that some meditation practices result in an increased level of melatonin, thus improving one’s quality of sleep at night. The regular activation of the parasympathetic nervous system is proven to aid in reduced stress, anxiety, pain, and depression. Plus, allowing your mind to reach a state of clarity has shown to improve focus and productivity throughout the day.
Movement
Partaking in regular physical movement is a great way to reset your nervous system and activate your vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is a key player in your parasympathetic nervous system, given that it impacts your breathing, digestive function, heart rate, and overall mental health. According to a 2010 study, researchers found that the more you increase your vagal tone through physical activity, the more your physical and mental health will improve.
Physical movement in a way that is sustainable over a long period of time is rooted in the science of transforming the brain and training the body for longevity. Cardiovascular conditioning, strength, power, mobility, and recovery can be combined with the wisdom of mindfulness. Movement can offer a well-rounded, holistic approach to physical and mental fitness, making it an ideal regimen for resetting your nervous system.
Sound Meditation
Another way to improve your vagus nerve is through sound meditation. Because this nerve is in close proximity to your ears, choosing the right music for your mind has the ability to trigger a parasympathetic response through the vagus nerve. Triggering this parasympathetic response helps coax the body into a calmer state and reset the nervous system.
Music therapy is a methodology that has been used and studied for centuries. In fact, many studies have found that music with a slower tempo can result in decreased blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing. On the other hand, music with an upbeat tempo can have the opposite effect and increase blood flow to lead to increased concentration and a stronger ability to retain information. So, regardless of which outcome you desire, sound meditation is a great option for resetting your nervous system.
Breathwork
Your nervous system is a complex network of nerves that each have a specific purpose to keep your body moving, responding, and sensing. Stressors that occur in daily life can cause your nerves to go awry. This is where breathwork comes in to help calm and reset your nervous system.
Physically, breathwork can work to lower levels of cortisol in the body, resulting in a feeling of relaxation and ease. It can even work to lower your blood pressure, slow your heart rate, and change your blood pH. Breathwork can also help activate the parasympathetic nervous system and calm the response to fight-or-flight.
As you focus on your breath, you will notice a shift from the heightened mental state you were in, to a calm and more present feeling. This will help you reset your nervous system to make better and more clear decisions.