Uncertainty and overwhelm are more than just mental experiences—they’re deeply felt in the body. When stressors pile up, our nervous system can become dysregulated, making it hard to think clearly, stay present, or even function effectively. If you’ve ever felt restless, numb, irritable, or completely shut down in times of stress, your body is likely in a fight, flight, freeze, or fawn response.
The good news? You can train your nervous system to regulate itself using research-backed techniques that engage the body in calming and stabilizing ways. Here are a few that go beyond common self-care advice and help reestablish a sense of balance:
1. Regulate Through Vagus Nerve Stimulation (Activating the Body’s Built-in Calm System)
Your vagus nerve plays a critical role in shifting your body from stress mode (sympathetic nervous system) to a relaxed state (parasympathetic nervous system). Stimulating it can help regulate emotions, lower heart rate, and promote a sense of safety.
How to do it:
Cold Exposure: Splash cold water on your face or place an ice pack on your chest or the back of your neck. This activates the “diving reflex,” signaling your body to slow down and regulate.
Humming, Chanting, or Singing: The vibrations from vocalization stimulate the vagus nerve, promoting relaxation.
Slow, Deep Breathing: Specifically, extended exhalations (inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds) signal your nervous system to shift out of stress mode.
2. Regulate Through Bilateral Stimulation (Engaging Both Hemispheres of the Brain)
Bilateral stimulation is a technique used in EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to process distressing experiences. It can also be used as a self-regulation tool to shift your body and brain out of overwhelm.
How to do it:
Tapping Method: Gently tap your hands back and forth on your knees or cross your arms and alternate tapping your shoulders.
Eye Movement: Move your eyes back and forth from left to right while following an object (like a finger or pen).
Walking Rhythmically: Marching in place or tapping your feet alternately on the ground can have a similar calming effect.
Bilateral stimulation helps “unstick” the nervous system from an anxious or frozen state and brings it back to a balanced place.
3. Regulate Through Proprioceptive Input (Grounding Through Pressure and Movement)
Your body has built-in systems that detect pressure, movement, and positioning. Applying deep pressure or engaging in rhythmic movement can help re-regulate when stress makes you feel out of control.
How to do it:
Weighted Compression: Use a weighted blanket, wrap yourself in a tight hug, or press against a wall with your hands.
Rocking or Rhythmic Movement: Gently sway side to side, sit in a rocking chair, or even bounce slightly on your toes.
Resistance Exercises: Pushing against a wall, squeezing a stress ball, or engaging in slow, controlled movement (like yoga or isometric holds) can help reestablish a sense of stability in your body.
4. Orienting Response (Helping Your Brain Feel Safe in the Present)
When stress and uncertainty take over, your brain can lose track of what is safe and what is a threat. Engaging the orienting response helps signal to your nervous system that you are in a safe environment.
How to do it:
Look Around Slowly: Move your head gently from side to side, taking in the room with your eyes. Notice colors, shapes, and objects without rushing.
Engage the Senses: Hold a warm mug, smell an essential oil, or focus on different textures around you.
Find an Anchor: Place your feet firmly on the ground and feel the weight of your body. Press your hands together or focus on your breath to re-establish a sense of presence.
By helping the brain recognize safety in real time, this technique can interrupt the automatic stress response and bring regulation back to your system.
When Regulation Feels Out of Reach, Therapy Can Help
Sometimes, no matter how much we try to regulate, we may need extra support to achieve regulation. If you find yourself constantly overwhelmed, disconnected, or struggling with emotional highs and lows, it may be time to work with a therapist who can help you retrain your nervous system in a deeper, lasting way.
Our team of counselors can assist you with practical tools to help you regain balance and maintain regulation. If you’re ready to feel more grounded, connected, and in control, schedule a session with us today.
You don’t have to navigate this alone—we’re here to help!
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