The ability you have to regulate your nervous system can either lead you to feelings of safety in your body and inner peace, or toward dysregulated states of stress, anxiety, and fear.
Nervous system dysregulation might be all you know as you may have grown accustomed to living in chaos due to trauma or chronic stress. Therefore, learning how to regulate your nervous system is the key to access a greater sense of groundedness, ease, and presence within yourself.
What Is the Nervous System?
Your nervous system is responsible for many aspects of your health and well-being. For example, it is responsible for functions of the body such as:
- Brain growth and development
- Physical sensations
- Breathing
- Perception, thoughts, and emotions
- Learning and memory
- Movement, balance, and coordination
- Sleep
- Healing and rehabilitation
- Stress and the body’s responses to stress
- Aging
- Breathing and heartbeat
- Body temperature
- Hunger, thirst, and digestion
- Puberty, reproductive health, and fertility
The degree to which each of these functions of the nervous system is regulated can either lead you to experience quality states of health and well-being or deter you from it.
How to Regulate Your Nervous System
Regulating your nervous system requires consistent mindfulness about what you need in order to experience safety in your body. Unfortunately, nervous system regulation is not “one and done.” It takes practice and vigilance so that intentionally healing in a variety of different ways can lead to nervous system regulation.
Some common ways to regulate your nervous system and calm your fight-or-flight response may look like:
- Exploring mindful movement
- Boundaries around social media and with people
- Being in sunshine and nature
- Slowing down
- Intentionally engaging with all five senses
- Releasing that which is no longer serving you in your life
- Deep breathing, breathwork, yoga, and meditation
- Finding what you are passionate about
- Developing a spiritual practice
- Spending time with those who are supportive of your goals and healthy self
- Psychotherapy
Learning to engage in nervous system regulation is about learning to feel and trust your emotions. You may experience resistance to taking the actions you feel called to, as those actions can challenge old ways of being that may feel comfortable. With time, your nervous system will soften into an easier way of life.
Understanding what you need to feel grounded and safe is how you learn to regulate your nervous system. It is what you need to strengthen your mental health, inner strength, and confidence to move through recovery. At Avalon Malibu, we recognize how important fitness is to recovery. We value a holistic approach to therapy and incorporate a variety of healing techniques that lead to nervous system regulation. Our team of professionals is here to support you as you start your healing. If you are ready to begin your journey, call Avalon Malibu today at (844) 857-5992.
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