How to Soothe Your Nervous System

Stress and anxiety drive our bodies into overdrive. They push us into survival mode—wired, tired, and overwhelmed all at once. Sleep gets disrupted, our thinking is cloudy, and our body feels like it's run a marathon.

When this becomes our everyday reality, it completely messes us up. Living in a constant state of stress not only affects our physical health but also our emotional well-being and the way we see the world.

For years as a business owner and mum, I carried the weight of unrealistic expectations. I hustled hard, pushed through exhaustion, and tried to “do it all.” But one day, my body started waving the white flag. I was always tired, my skin was dull, my digestion had checked out, and I just wasn’t happy—despite “doing everything right.”

I was walking, going to the gym twice a week, eating well… But I was also a mum of two kids under five, building a business, and constantly reacting to life instead of responding. It felt like I was living on the edge. My mind never stopped spinning—overthinking, worrying, spiraling. I knew deep down something wasn’t right.

Doctors told me what I already knew: eat well, move your body. But my inner world? It was chaos.

The first real shift happened when I ditched the gym to go back to a weekly yin yoga class. That single Thursday night ritual became a sacred reset. Then came Hatha yoga. Then journaling. Then a lunchtime meditation. These simple acts helped me access calm in a way that weights at the gym never could.

Through Chinese Medicine, I learned that we can’t just hammer our way through wellness. Our organs, our nervous system—they need nourishment and care, not just protein and reps. I had to soften. I had to slow down. And it changed everything.

What’s happening in your body

Here’s the deal: Your nervous system has two main branches—the sympathetic (fight or flight) and the parasympathetic (rest and digest). When we’re stressed, the sympathetic system hijacks the show. Racing heart, shallow breath, tense muscles. Your body thinks you’re in danger, even if you’re just dealing with emails or traffic.

To feel calm and balanced, we need to activate the parasympathetic system. This is where real healing happens. Your digestion, immunity, sleep, and emotional balance all rely on it.

My go-to tools for calming the nervous system.

They’re simple, accessible, and—most importantly—they work.

1. Legs Up the Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)

I’m starting with this because it’s made a huge difference in my own household. Over the summer, my son had to get stitches. My husband went into the room with him and turned ghost-white—on the verge of fainting. The doctor immediately told him to get down and put his legs up the wall, right there on the hospital floor.

I’d been telling him for years how powerful this pose is for calming the nervous system. Finally, he believed me.

This posture works by reversing blood flow, encouraging lymphatic drainage, and slowing the heart rate. You just lie down, put your legs up the wall, and breathe. Five to ten minutes is enough to reset your nervous system.

Great before bed, after a long day, or anytime you need to downshift. Don’t overthink it—just get your legs up.

2. Breathing Techniques That Actually Help

Your breath is your nervous system’s best friend. When you breathe slowly and consciously, you're telling your body: You're safe. That alone shifts you out of stress.

Try these two:

Box Breathing

Inhale for 4 seconds
Hold for 4 seconds
Exhale for 4 seconds
Hold for 4 seconds
Repeat for 1–3 minutes. Great before meetings, while waiting in traffic, or anytime you feel anxious.

Belly Breathing

Inhale deeply through your nose so your belly rises.
Exhale slowly through your mouth, letting your belly fall.
Do this for 2 minutes whenever you’re feeling anxious or on edge.

This sends a signal to your nervous system to switch into “rest and digest” mode. It’s simple, powerful, and totally portable.

These take less than 2 minutes—but the benefits are long-lasting. Use them often.

3. Meditation (Yes, You Can Actually Do This)

I get it—everyone's talking about meditation and you're still not sure it's for you. But let me simplify it.

Meditation trains your brain to catch spiraling thoughts and gently return to the present. Every time your mind wanders, and you bring it back, you're building your "awareness muscle." That’s what helps you stop the mental doom loops.

My No-BS Rules for Meditation:

1. If their voice makes you cringe, find someone else. The right voice matters.

2. Get super comfortable. Pillows, blankets, eye mask—build a cozy nest.

3. Start small. 5–10 minutes is more than enough.

4. Stick to a routine. Try it in bed, morning or night, while already lying down.

5. Your mind will wander. That’s not failure—it’s practice. Just return to the voice or the breath.

Guided meditations on Insight Timer or Calm are great places to start.

4. Journaling to Clear the Noise

Journaling has been a game changer in my nervous system reset. Why? Because it gets all the chaos out of your head and onto paper—where it’s way less overwhelming.

The best part? It’s for your eyes only. No judgment, no structure required.

Ways to Journal:

• Free Writing: Just write whatever’s on your mind.

• Prompted Journaling: Use thoughtful prompts like “What’s making me feel anxious today?”

• Gratitude Lists: Acknowledge the good, even if it’s small.

Benefits: Releases bottled-up emotions, helps process and reframe stress, clarifies decision-making, tracks your emotional patterns and progress over time

Even 5 minutes a day can shift your whole outlook.

 5. Nature—The Original Regulator

Nature has a magical way of recalibrating the nervous system. Research backs this: time in nature lowers cortisol, reduces blood pressure, and improves mood.

You don’t need a rainforest. A park walk, ocean swim, or even sitting in the sun counts. But if you can get into nature, try Shinrin-yoku—the Japanese practice of forest bathing. You walk slowly through a forest, using all five senses to take it in. Smell, sight, touch. It's meditation in motion.

Even just opening a window, tending to plants, or walking barefoot on the grass makes a difference. Let your senses take a break from screens and reconnect with the Earth.

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Calming the nervous system isn’t a luxury—it’s survival in this modern world. You don’t have to quit your job or move to the mountains. You just have to give your body what it’s been quietly begging for: a break. A breath. A moment.

These tools—yoga, breath, meditation, journaling, nature—are not just practices. They’re anchors. They remind you who you are beneath the chaos. And they work. I’m living proof.

Start small. Start messy. Start wherever you are.

Because when your nervous system is calm, everything else starts to feel possible again.