Heal Your Nervous System

1. Nervous system dysregulation underlies many physical and emotional symptoms

Your nervous system is an intricate network of nerves and cells responsible for communicating with all the other systems in your body and telling them how to respond to different situations.

Dysregulation explained. When the nervous system becomes dysregulated, it loses its natural flexibility to respond to stressors. This can lead to a wide range of symptoms, including:

• Anxiety and depression
• Chronic fatigue and burnout
• Autoimmune conditions
• Digestive issues (e.g., IBS)
• Skin problems (e.g., rosacea)
• Sleep disturbances

Impact on health. A dysregulated nervous system can cause other bodily systems to accumulate damage over time. This is because the body spends too much time in high-stress states and not enough time in restorative states, preventing important repair processes from occurring.

Holistic approach needed. Addressing nervous system dysregulation requires a comprehensive approach that goes beyond treating individual symptoms. By focusing on regulating the nervous system as a whole, many seemingly unrelated health issues can be improved or resolved.

2. Sensitivity is a spectrum and can be both a challenge and a strength

Your sensitivity profile is unique to you. It helps you understand how your nervous system experiences and interacts with the world around you.

Understanding sensitivity. Sensitivity exists on a spectrum, with individuals falling into three main categories:

• Orchids (25-30%): Highly sensitive
• Tulips (40%): Moderately sensitive
• Dandelions (30%): Less sensitive

Components of sensitivity. Sensitivity comprises various elements:

• Strong sensory preferences
• Sensitivity to subtle stimuli
• Emotional and physiological reactivity
• Social and affective sensitivity
• Aesthetic sensitivity

Harnessing sensitivity. While high sensitivity can make individuals more prone to dysregulation, it also offers unique strengths. Highly sensitive people often exhibit:

• Greater creativity
• Deeper connections with others
• Enhanced ability to notice subtle details
• Increased empathy and emotional intelligence

By understanding and working with their sensitivity, individuals can learn to leverage these strengths while managing potential challenges.

3. Stress and fear responses shape our nervous system's regulation

Stress is how your nervous system responds to challenge or demand. Your body is always in some state of stress arousal.

The Alertness Elevator. This model illustrates different states of nervous system arousal:

• Blue: Deep rest and cellular regeneration
• Green: Relaxed and focused
• Yellow: Cognitive overload and mild stress
• Red: Acute stress response and full alertness
• Purple: Emergency freeze and immobility

Stress response factors. An individual's stress response is influenced by:

• Genetic predisposition
• Early childhood experiences
• Attachment patterns
• Traumatic events (embedded alarms)

Adaptive vs. problematic stress. While some stress is necessary and even beneficial, chronic stress can lead to dysregulation. The key is developing the ability to move flexibly between different states of arousal and return to a baseline of calm (green state) after stressful experiences.

4. The 5-Stage Plan offers a comprehensive approach to healing dysregulation

This stage is all about coming home to yourself and meeting challenges with flexibility.

Stages overview:

1. Awareness: Recognizing nervous system patterns
2. Regulation: Building agency through embodied safety
3. Restoration: Rebuilding nervous system flexibility
4. Connection: Repairing bonds and cultivating kinship
5. Expansion: Growing capacity for resilience

Holistic framework. The 5-Stage Plan addresses the 4 Pillars of Nervous System Health:

• Body
• Mind
• Connection
• Spirituality

Progressive healing. Each stage builds upon the previous one, creating a solid foundation for lasting change. The process is not linear, but rather an ongoing journey of growth and integration.

5. Awareness is the foundation for recognizing and changing nervous system patterns

This stage is all about slowing down your habitual response and becoming clearer about what's happening, moment by moment, in your nervous system.

Cultivating awareness. Key practices include:

• Switching from "dog mind" to "lion mind"
• Observing thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations without judgment
• Recognizing and tracking movements on the Alertness Elevator

Creating the gap. Awareness introduces a pause between triggers and responses, allowing for more conscious choices in how to react to stressors.

Bodyfulness. Emphasizing the importance of experiencing the present moment in your body, not just your mind. This holistic awareness creates a stronger foundation for regulation.

6. Body-based practices are key to regulating the nervous system

You can't train attachment security by trying to think through it; you have to engage your interoceptive awareness, or internal sensations, to train your nervous system to be more secure.

Portals for regulation. Key body-based practices include:

• Breath work (e.g., physiological sigh)
• Muscle tension release
• Touch and self-touch
• Interoception (internal body awareness)
• Movement

Embodied safety. These practices help create a felt sense of safety in the body, allowing the nervous system to relax and release accumulated tension.

Emotion regulation. By working with the body, individuals can more effectively manage their emotional states and build resilience to stress.

7. Addressing root causes is essential for long-term nervous system restoration

This stage is all about coming home to yourself and meeting challenges with flexibility.

Underlying causes. Key areas to address:

• Current coping strategies
• Attachment patterns
• Embedded alarms from traumatic stressors

Retraining the nervous system. Practices like the Ideal Parent Figure (IPF) protocol can help reshape attachment patterns and build a more secure foundation.

Resilience building. Developing a "resilience attitude" involves:

• Maintaining optimism for the future
• Having confidence in your ability to cope
• Viewing adversities as challenges rather than threats

8. Healthy connections support ongoing nervous system regulation

Kinship encompasses not only the connections shared with others and the world around you but also the idea of reciprocity—the give and take that sustains these relationships and keeps them vibrant and alive.

Types of connection. Important areas to cultivate:

• Connection to purpose
• Connection to others
• Connection with nature
• Connection to beauty and creativity

Shifting from empathy to compassion. Learning to care for others without becoming overwhelmed by their emotions.

Healthy boundaries. Establishing clear boundaries in relationships supports ongoing regulation and prevents enmeshment.

9. Expanding capacity allows for growth and resilience in the face of stress

Experiencing awe can lead to a profound sense of belonging and purpose, connecting you not only to your immediate surroundings but also more broadly to the whole of existence.

Hormesis. Controlled exposure to mild stressors can strengthen the nervous system and increase overall resilience.

Awe experiences. Engaging with awe-inspiring situations can expand nervous system capacity and foster a sense of connection to something greater than oneself.

Ongoing growth. The process of healing and regulating the nervous system is not about reaching a fixed endpoint, but rather continually expanding one's capacity to navigate life's challenges with grace and resilience.

Last updated: August 13, 2024