Ever jump at the sound of an email notification? Or feel your heart rate increase when your boss calls you in for a quick meeting? If your daily life feels like an endless cycle of stress, you’re likely experiencing nervous system dysregulation.
You’re not alone – and the good news is, there’s a way out.
In this article, you’ll discover exactly how to recognize a dysregulated nervous system and how to regulate it effectively. I’ll give you specific nervous system regulation techniques. As a speech pathologist with over 25 years specializing in the brain and nervous system care, I’ve guided hundreds toward relief from chronic anxiety and reduce stress by simply understanding and learning to regulate the nervous system.
Here’s our roadmap:
You’ll learn how to clearly identify the symptoms of a dysregulated nervous system and anxiety, and exactly what to do about it.
We’ll cover the 10 signs you’re stuck in survival mode, plus three easy-to-use strategies for nervous system regulation to feel calm and grounded again.
Let’s dive in.
10 Signs and Symptoms of a Dysregulated Nervous System
1. Always on Edge (Anxiety That Won’t Quit)
Maybe you don’t think you have an anxiety disorder, but maybe you constantly scan for threats and worry about worst-case scenarios-even when things are okay. Symptoms of anxiety include:
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Racing thoughts
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Increased heart rate and breathing is shallow.
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Trouble relaxing even in peaceful moments
- You constantly feel anxious
2. Numbness or Emotional Shutdown
You feel completely disconnected from your emotions – no sadness, no joy, just flatness. This “freeze” response leaves you feeling empty, exhausted, and checked out throughout the body.
3. Reliance on Quick Fixes
Do you regularly turn to these things to manage your stress levels:
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Alcohol or excessive food
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Endless social media scrolling
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Over-exercising or overworking
These temporary fixes signal that your nervous system is desperately seeking calm.
4. Overachieving or People-Pleasing (or Both)
You consistently push past your limits, always saying “yes” when you mean “no.” You stay busy because rest feels unsafe. You are experiencing a fight-or-flight response (what I call Team Hyper). Essentially your sympathetic nervous system is stuck on “on”.
5. Burnout but Unable to Stop
You feel deeply drained, yet compelled to keep going. You keep pushing until your body inevitably crashes from exhaustion.
6. Chronic Body Tension or Pain
You may recognize the signs and symptoms of frequent muscle tightness, headaches, gut issues, and chronic pains indicate your body is holding onto unresolved stress responses. Your mental and physical health is being impacted.
7. Poor Sleep Patterns
Your sleep may be disrupted by anxiety-driven insomnia, early waking, or never feeling truly rested. You desperately want to improve sleep (and your nervous system controls so much about the quality of your sleep!)
8. Constant Overthinking
You replay conversations obsessively, stuck in loops of anxiety about past or future events. Everything feels like a stressor in your life.
9. Zoning Out (Dissociation)
You frequently find yourself disconnected from the present, running on autopilot, or feeling detached from reality.
10. Struggling with Boundaries and Emotional Control
Small triggers can cause big emotional reactions, or you find yourself continually compromising your boundaries for others’ comfort.
How to Start Regulating Your Nervous System and Overcome Anxiety
Understanding these signs is the first step. Next, let’s talk about practical solutions you can use today to get unstuck – because techniques can help with stress management. We need to become efficient at managing stress and find ways to calm – to activate that parasympathetic nervous system.
Strategy #1: The Safety Sequence (3 Steps to Reset)
Follow this quick, powerful sequence whenever anxiety and stress or dysregulation strikes:
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Step 1: Ask, “Am I safe right now?” (Most times, the honest answer is yes.). Remember the nervous system is always scanning for safety (stress) or danger. We want to show that we are truly safe!
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Step 2: Ask, “Do I feel safe?” Notice body sensations—tightness, tension, numbness. Acknowledging these sensations helps begin the shift.
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Step 3: Actively relax your body. Imagine yourself going limp, like a rag doll, for a few seconds. Relaxing your muscles sends calming signals to your nervous system instantly and you enter into that rest and digest state (that I call Team Resilient).
Strategy #2: Gentle, Mindful Movement
Movement releases stored tension. Try gentle activities like:
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Shaking out your hands
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Swaying or gentle stretching
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Taking slow walks, even short ones at home
Movement signals your body to shift away from anxiety toward safety and calm.
Strategy #3: Breathing Exercises: The Physiological Sigh (Two-Breath Reset)
Your breath directly signals your nervous system. Some talk about deep breathing, but, if you experience anxiety or want to relieve stress in the moment then use this powerful technique:
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Inhale deeply through your nose.
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At the peak, inhale again briefly to fully fill your lungs.
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Exhale slowly through your mouth.
This double inhale rapidly resets your nervous system, moving you into calmness quickly.
Final Thoughts on Nervous System Regulation and Anxiety
Recognizing these signs doesn’t mean you’re broken – it simply means your nervous system needs support to regain balance. By learning and applying these practical, science-backed techniques, you can reclaim your calm and resilience. You deserve a life free from chronic stress and anxiety.
Want Deeper Support to Learn How to Regulate Your Nervous System in Creative Ways?
If you found yourself nodding along, I’d love to invite you to my Nervous System Journaling Club – a supportive community designed specifically to help you regulate your nervous system, overcome anxiety, and build lasting resilience.
Ready to finally feel calm and centered again? Join our Nervous System Journaling Club today. Your resilient, regulated future starts now. You can join here.