Have you been feeling overwhelmed, sensitive, stressed by life, or losing hope at the state of the world? You are not alone. Take care of your heart and your energetic body with these 7 ways to regulate your nervous system during challenging times:
Exercise - Cardio exercise that gets your heart rate up not only strengthens your body, but it strengthens your energetic field from outside influences, and makes you more resilient to stress. When our minds and hearts are burdened by stresses and traumas, exercise helps us get more grounded and reconnected with our bodies. Turn on some upbeat music and dance to let out pent up tension in the body (shake it off!).
Breathwork - Conscious breathing techniques, such as deep breathing or diaphragmatic breathing, activate the body's relaxation response. Focused breathing helps calm the mind, reducing stress and anxiety. Wim Hof breathing method has been shown to vastly improve the body's resilience to stressors of all kinds, and is energizing and uplifting.
Meditation - Taking time to sit still, tune out external noise, and quieting the mind in meditation can soothe the nervous system and help ground you in the present moment. A regular meditation practice can work wonders to build your inner strength and resilience in the face of stress and turmoil in the outer world. Listening to guided meditations is a great way to start, or to help your mind focus more easily when burdened by a lot of racing thoughts.
Chiropractic care - When the nervous system is stuck in fight or flight mode, it can be difficult to relax, think clearly, or feel any sense of peace, even when there is no threat present. Chiropractic care can help get your nervous system and body balanced and working at its best by removing the misalignments that interfere with its proper function. If it's been a while since you last had chiropractic care, you may be surprised by how much more at peace you feel when you get your spine tuned up, get your nervous system clear, and bodily tension released.
Bodywork - Other holistic bodywork practices like massage, Reiki, and acupuncture can be profoundly beneficial to healing, releasing stress and muscle tension, and promoting clearer energy flow in the body. Treat yourself to one or any of these therapies to help you feel your best.
Journaling - If you are feeling overwhelmed and your mind is burdened with repetitive thoughts and feelings, it can be helpful to let it all out onto the page through journaling. It can be with physical pen and paper, or digitally on a computer - whatever feels best for you. You can even brainstorm next actions to take to get through something difficult.
Connect with others - In this modern era of technology, especially post-Covid, many of us have become more isolated from each other. Remember that you have people in your life who love and care about you. Reach out to friends and family members and talk about what's been on your mind and heart. Supporting one another through real connection and quality time is an essential and powerful way of regulating our nervous systems that can get easily overlooked.
When life is turbulent, nurturing your well-being can significantly impact your resilience and ability to face life head on each day. Implementing any of these practices, such as engaging in regular exercise to fortify your energetic field, employing relaxation techniques like meditation and breathwork, and seeking holistic care like chiropractic or other bodywork, can effectively regulate your nervous system. Reconnecting with loved ones and expressing thoughts through journaling play pivotal roles in restoring balance and emotional stability during challenging moments. These multi-faceted approaches collectively serve to fortify and ground the self, offering support in navigating the complexities of life's challenges.