![]() 5īut this isn’t the type of stress we’re talking about here. 4Īcute stress also increases memory, alertness, and overall performance. The stress hormone cortisol, for example, is what wakes you up in the morning. There are actually quite a few benefits to quick bouts of stress (a.k.a. The more you practice regulating your nervous system outside of stressful situations, the easier it will be for you to access your inner calm even when you’re in the midst of an emotional storm.īut before we talk about how to regulate your nervous system, it’s helpful to understand what stress is, and where it’s coming from.Īt the most surface level, stress is physical and emotional tension.Īnd it shows up anytime something inside of you resist what’s happening in the present moment. You can think of it as breaking your stress habit.Īnd in its place, you’re creating a new habit of feeling grounded, centered, and calm. This allows you to build and strengthen neural connections that will make it easier for you to access your inner calm. And the best way to turn down your stress response is to practice regulating your nervous system before you’re feeling stressed. So it’s more important than ever to learn how to turn down your stress response. All of these responses originally evolved as ways to promote survival.Īnd they can still be useful when the situation is appropriate.īut most of us aren’t constantly in life-threatening situations, yet stress levels are at an all-time high. It happens most often to kids, who sometimes fall fast asleep in the middle of an extremely stressful situation, like a robbery or car accident.īut it can also happen for adults and in response to chronic stress. Fatigue is the final way people respond to acute stressful situations. Read more about setting boundaries with loved ones here. ![]() If you are a people-pleaser and have trouble with boundaries, this is what’s happening. In a fawn situation, you put your own needs and desires in an attempt to avoid conflict.īecause when you were little, conflict with your caregivers could be a threat to your survival. Your parasympathetic nervous system can more easily take the reigns again.Īnd you feel clear headed and in control instead of reacting on autopilot.Īnother possibility is that you become totally overwhelmed by emotion.Īnd the fawn response is what happens when you cooperate or submit to a person who’s threatening you. 1 But when you know how to regulate your nervous system, you can take action so your nervous system calms down. ![]() Metabolism slows down as your body focuses entirely on what is needed for immediate survival. And unless you learn how to regulate your nervous system, there isn’t much you can do about any of it.īecause when you get stressed, your sympathetic nervous system takes charge of your mind and body.īlood pressure increases as the blood in your body rushes out of your core organs and into your muscles. To make matters worse, your body can send you all sorts of uncomfortable symptoms (like headaches, tummy trouble, brain fog, and more) to try to get the stress to stop. You’re reactive instead of responding to situations the way you want to. Without nervous system regulation, your emotions feel out of control. It makes a huge difference in how you feel and behave. Because the only way to stay calm in stressful situations is to regulate your nervous system. 10 Ways to Regulate Your Nervous System and Calm Your Stress Responseīut how you deal with stress can change everything.Īnd the extent that stress bothers you depends on whether or not you know how to regulate your nervous system.
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