Let’s be real: Life is stressful. Between juggling work, relationships, and worrying about everything, your nervous system takes a beating.
When your nervous system gets stuck in a “fight or flight” mode, it’s like your brain’s alarm is constantly blaring, which is exhausting. This can eventually lead to burnout, anxiety and other health issues.
So, how do you hit the reset button on your nervous system?
It is not about a quick fix, but rather about building daily habits that coax your body back into a balanced state.
1. Breathe like you mean it.
Deep, slow belly breaths will signal safety to your parasympathetic system. Your heart rate slows, your blood pressure drops, and your muscles unclench. It’s one of the fastest ways to regulate stress on the spot.
Try this:
Box breathing: inhale for 4 counts → hold for 4 → exhale for 4 → hold for 4.
Or, simply make your exhale longer than your inhale. For example, inhale for 4 seconds and exhale for 6.
This simple habit lowers heart rate and also calms the mind.
2. Move your body.
Exercise is amazing for a frazzled nervous system. Try incorporating gentle movements into your day.
Maybe a walk in nature, a gentle yoga and stretching session, or a leisurely bike ride. Even better, consider walking barefoot for an extra-grounding experience.
It’s not about burning calories, but about burning off stress signals.
3. Prioritize sleep.
If your nervous system never truly powers down at night, it’s stuck in high gear. Chronic poor sleep basically trains your nervous system to stay in a state of vigilance. This makes it harder to deal with even normal daily stress; your threshold lowers, so small stuff feels overwhelming.
Here’s how to help your body decompress before your head hits the pillow:
- Turn down the lights about an hour before bed.
- Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and cozy.
- Create a bedtime ritual. Try journaling, meditating, or reading.
- Skip the doom scrolling. Try putting your phone in a different room.
Deep, restorative sleep is the ultimate reset button for your nervous system.
4. Cold Exposure.
Most of us instinctively avoid the cold because, yeah, it’s uncomfortable. However, short, controlled doses of cold are actually one of the most powerful tools for regulating your nervous system. Cold stimulates the vagus nerve, which tells your body, “It’s okay, let’s activate rest-and-digest.”
Finish your shower cold for 30 seconds to one minute, splash cold water on your face, dip your hands or feet in icy water, or place an ice pack on your upper chest.
Daily life stressors start to feel less overwhelming because your nervous system has literally practiced staying cool under pressure.
5. Limit Stimulants
Piling on caffeine, sugar, and digital overstimulation cranks the sympathetic nervous system (the fight-or-flight response) even higher. Try swapping your coffee for herbal tea, take breaks from screen time, and be mindful of your sugar intake.
It’s not about banning coffee, deleting Instagram forever, or never enjoying cake again. It’s about reducing these daily stimulants so your nervous system isn’t constantly pushed into overdrive.
