Enhance Wellbeing with Nervous System Practices

Regulating the nervous system is important in our busy lives, where we frequently face stressors that can lead to reactions that feel out of control.

It’s important to find ways to regulate and soothe the nervous system so we can maintain healthy relationships. Both with ourselves and the people we care about and work with.

But how do we do that? I share my top tips below.

Regulating the nervous system is incredibly important for overall well-being and effective functioning in daily life. It plays a central role in how we respond to stress, manage our emotions, and interact with the world around us. When the nervous system is out of balance, it can lead to increased anxiety, trouble focusing, and overwhelming emotional reactions.

When we are dysregulated, we can inadvertently self-sabotage, hurt other people, and damage relationships. How many times have you found yourself snapping at your children, or your partner. Or even getting angry at work and feeling your blood pressure rise?

While it isn’t our fault (AT ALL!) that these things happen, because this is what our nervous system is designed to do, it can still leave us feeling guilty and shameful when we lose our cool.

Proper regulation helps maintain a sense of balance, which allows for clearer thinking, better decision-making, and healthier relationships. It helps the body to shift out of fight-or-flight mode and into a state of calm and safety - what I call nervous system flexibility. This transition not only alleviates symptoms of anxiety and trauma but also enhances resilience, helping you better handle future stressors.

Nurturing a well-regulated nervous system supports physical health. Chronic stress can contribute to various health problems, such as heart issues, weakened immune response, and digestive complications. So often, IBS, indigestion, reflux, and leaky gut can be traced back to chronically high stress hormones.

By focusing on nervous system regulation, you can improve your physical health, emotional well-being, and overall life satisfaction. Healing through somatic approaches provides valuable tools to help foster this regulation, creating a deeper connection between mind and body.

Here’s a few ideas to get you started. And for reference, my healing journey started with reducing cortisol levels which have been transformative! And I teach this to my clients as well.

Grounding Techniques: Engage in grounding exercises to connect with the earth and your physical body. Stand or sit in a comfortable position, feel your feet in contact with the ground, and visualise roots extending from your feet into the earth. This helps create a sense of stability and safety.

I love this because you can do it anywhere and it’s accessible for people who find breathing exercises challenging.

Breath Awareness: Focus on your breath to help regulate your nervous system. Practice deep, diaphragmatic breathing by inhaling slowly through your nose, allowing your abdomen to expand, and exhaling gently through your mouth. Aim for a count of four for each inhale and six to eight for each exhale to promote a calming response.

This works because a longer exhale engages the vagal brake which calms the nervous system and brings you out of sympathetic response back into a centred state.

Movement Practices: Incorporate gentle movement into your daily routine. Activities like yoga, tai chi, or simply walking can help release pent-up tension and promote a sense of fluidity in your body. Pay attention to how movement feels and allow yourself to safely express any emotions that arise.

I move on the daily. A walk in nature works wonders, listening to the wind, the birds, feeling the earth beneath you. Pausing on your walk to listen is a beautifully healing practice.

Mindful movement brings in a sense of somatic awareness, allowing you to notice the sensations that arise. In my yoga teaching, I bring in interoceptive awareness to help my students understand their body signals and improve nervous system flexibility.

Sensory Engagement: Use your senses to connect with the present moment. Engage with textures, scents, and sounds around you. For instance, hold a smooth stone, breathe in a calming scent like lavender, or listen to soothing music. This focus can anchor you in the here and now, easing anxiety.

In the therapeutic setting we also call this orientation. You ground yourself in the present moment by noticing small details in the space around you, or observing something beloved or precious to you.

Body Scan Meditation: Practise a body scan meditation to enhance awareness of physical sensations. Lie or sit down comfortably, take a couple of breaths to connect into your body, and systematically focus on each part of your body, from head to toe. Notice areas of tension or discomfort without judgement, allowing yourself to relax deeper as you breathe into those spaces.

This is another amazing practice that can be done easily in public. You don’t need any equipment. You don’t need to breathe deeply or do any noticeable movements. When you get good at it, you can do a quick body scan in a few minutes and notice the benefit as it brings you into your Self energy.

To sum up, the practice emphasises the role of the nervous system in functioning and supports healing from trauma and chronic anxiety. By combining somatic techniques with therapies like Internal Family Systems therapy, you can achieve personal growth and healing through understanding your bodies and minds. It really is quite incredible.

So that’s it, these are my go to strategies to calm the nervous system, balance cortisol levels, and bring more harmony to your life. Why not try one or two of them and see how you get on?

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