My Dysregulated Nervous System
For a long time, I didn’t realise my body had been quietly screaming for help.
I chalked up the exhaustion to “just being busy,” the sudden mood swings to hormones, and the sleepless nights to aging. Beneath the surface, though, something deeper was happening: my nervous system was running the show, and it had been stuck in survival mode for far too long.
When Stress Becomes the Default Setting
A dysregulated nervous system can show up as chronic anxiety, irritability, digestive discomfort, poor sleep, or mental fog. It’s like your body’s stress dial is jammed, either cranked up too high or switched off completely. That inner state makes it hard to feel safe, rest deeply, or respond calmly to everyday life.
I remember feeling like I couldn’t switch gears. I was either on edge or completely depleted, never quite landing in a sense of ease.
Relearning Calm
Feeling more regulated didn’t come overnight, but it began with one powerful shift: noticing. Noticing how stress lived in my body. Noticing the tension I was carrying ( for me it was all in my pelvis). Noticing what helped me feel even a little softer, a little more grounded.
Through intentional routines and somatic awareness, I started to gently nudge my system back toward balance. The moments I carved out for stillness, reflection, or gentle movement weren’t just indulgent, they were necessary. Bit by bit, I stopped reacting from survival and started responding from a place of inner steadiness.
Why Regulation Matters
When the nervous system finds its rhythm again, everything shifts. There’s more clarity, more patience, and more energy. Your body begins to trust itself. Relationships deepen. Sleep feels restorative. Creativity sparks. You feel, well...more like yourself.
This isn’t about never feeling stressed. It’s about becoming skilled at returning to calm. And that return is what builds resilience.
If you’ve been living in overdrive or feeling disconnected from your body, know this: you’re not broken. You’re responding to life in the way your nervous system has learned to survive. And you can teach it something new.
The journey toward regulation isn’t linear, but it’s deeply personal, and profoundly empowering.
