The Nervous System: The Foundation for A Peaceful Life

By Brittany Gilchrist, MA, LPC, CEDS-C

Nervous system regulation is a term thrown around a lot, but I wanted to take a deeper dive into what exactly this means. If it’s important enough to be thrown around, it is important enough to truly understand.

Our nervous system is the foundation for how we move through the world - shaping how we respond to stress, connect with others, and experience safety within ourselves.

The nervous system is a complex body system of cells and fibers that allows the body to communicate with itself and its external world. It functions by receiving information, processing it, and responding to that information by triggering movement, thought, and sensation.

The two main parts of the nervous system are (1) the Central Nervous System (CNS) which includes the brain and spinal cord, and (2) the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) which includes all of the other nerves outside of the CNS. One part of the PNS, for instance, is the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary functions, like heart rate, breathing, and digestion.

The nervous system is the body’s command center, internal compass – providing communication and management of various bodily processes.

Why does the nervous system need to be regulated? To maintain balance and stability in the body’s function – also known as homeostasis, which provides for a more peaceful experience.

.A nervous system not in homeostasis will drift to hyperstasis (anxiety, chronic stress, perfectionism, loud inner critic, high heart rate, shallow breathing, lightheadedness, dizzy, etc) or hypostasis (depression, lethargy, fatigue, low heart rate, inability to stay awake, disconnectedness, isolation, slowed digestion, etc).

Remaining in or returning to homeostasis allows for stable energy and mood and for the body to function properly, for example allowing for a stable heart rate, organs working as intended, and encouraging appropriate digestion.

A dysregulated nervous system is also often referred to as triggering the fight, flight, freeze or fawn states and making it challenging to return to calm.

Some things that might trigger nervous system dysregulation are past trauma, chronic stress, poor physical care (poor sleep, lack of movement, not feeding yourself enough) or lack of support connection. So, let’s say you have experienced some kind of trigger, and/or perhaps several triggers (i.e. you find yourself in a generally stressful season of life), it may be important to check in with your body to recognize what type of triggered/dysregulated state you find yourself in, and then to continue reading so we can see about getting you back into homeostasis.

Fight/flight (otherwise known as hyperarousal) presents symptoms such as panic, restlessness, anxiety, irritability, anger, defensiveness, and muscle tension.

Freeze (otherwise known as hypoarousal) presents symptoms such as numbness or disconnection from your body, brain fog, zoning out, depression, low energy, difficulty initiating tasks or making decisions, flat affect, and isolation.

Fawn (essentially people-pleasing as a stress response) presents symptoms such as prioritizing others’ needs over your own, difficulty setting boundaries, over-apologizing, a hyperfocus on others’ thoughts or feelings, and guilt when resting.

Nervous system check-in: What physical sensations am I noticing right now? Where in my body am I feeling tension? Can I release some of it? Where in my body do I feel calm or grounded – if anywhere?

Do I feel more amped up, shut down, or somewhere between? Is my breathing shallow or deep? Am I holding my breath or breathing freely?

What emotion is most present right now? Does that emotion feel safe to feel?

Are my thoughts racing, sluggish, or clear? What story is playing in my mind right now?

Do I feel safe in my environment? Do I feel connected to myself or others? How/who can I ask for help?

What might my nervous system need in this moment? (Movement? Stillness? Rest? Connection? Comfort? An emotional release like crying? Grounding? Deep breathing?)

The more frequently you check in with your nervous system (perhaps using these questions), the more natural it will feel. And the more you give it what it needs, the more your nervous system will know that it is safe and can trust you to show up for you, sending your body into a more homeostatic state.

When the nervous system is balanced, we feel grounded, resilient, and better able to navigate life's challenges. But when it's overwhelemd or dysregulated, even small stressors can immediately feel like too much.

The name of the game is first getting curious about your nervous system, how and when it functions at its best and what are it’s most important triggers for dysregulation as well as for regulation. Next, thinking through how you might work to stabilize, strength, and soothe your nervous system so that you and your nervous system work together to live a more peaceful and purposeful life.

The good news is that regulation is not about "fixing" ourselves, but about gently supporting the body's natural capacity to find calm and connection. We are generally more homeostatic when we feel mindful, compassionate (to ourselves and others), creative and curious - knowing we always have a way to care for our nervous system and that we can do that as often as we need it.