Let’s talk about the part of your body that controls everything from your sleep to your stress to your sudden need to hid under a blanket for three hours: your nervous system,
If you’ve ever felt stuck in high alert—heart pounding, mind racing, muscles clenched like you’re preparing for a bear attack (even though it’s just another Zoom meeting)—then you’ve met your sympathetic nervous system. It’s the part that says, “Something’s wrong. We must panic.” Great for running from tigers. Not so great for chronic illness.
What we want is more time in the parasympathetic state—that sweet, soothing “rest and digest” mode where your body feels safe, your digestion works, and your brain isn’t yelling at you. Think of it as your inner spa setting.
So how do we get there? Especially when you’re living with fibromyalgia or a nervous system that already feels like a raw nerve wrapped in barbed wire?
Here are some gentle (and actually doable) ways to regulate your nervous system—even on low-energy days.
1. Breathe Like It Matters
Yes, you’re already breathing. But how you breathe can either rev up your system or calm it down. Try this:
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- Inhale for 4 counts
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- Hold for 4
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- Exhale for 4
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- Hold for 4
Repeat a few times. You might feel a small shift—or you might cry. (That’s also nervous system regulation. Let it out.)
2. Get Back Into Your Body
Your body may not always feel like a safe or friendly place—but even so, gentle grounding can help. Try this sensory trick:
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- Name 5 things you see
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- 4 things you can touch
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- 3 things you hear
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- 2 you can smell
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- 1 you can taste
This is especially helpful when you’re anxious, disoriented, or scrolling WebMD at 2 a.m.
3. Move—Gently
You don’t need a Peloton. You need a stretch, a walk to the mailbox, or some slow yoga while wrapped in your favorite blanket.
Movement tells your nervous system, “We’re not frozen. We’re okay.” Even five minutes helps.
4. Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve
It sounds like something you’d hear in a sci-fi film, but the vagus nerve is your nervous system’s calm-down switch.
You can activate it by:
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- Humming (yes, even badly)
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- Singing in the shower
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- Splashing cold water on your face
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- Laughing at memes
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- Gargling water like a dramatic opera singer
Weird? A bit. But it works.
5. Sensory Soothers
Sometimes the quickest way to regulate your system is external:
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- A warm cup of tea
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- Weighted blankets
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- Soft lighting
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- Lo-fi beats or nature sounds
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- A cozy hoodie that smells like lavender and defiance
Don’t underestimate the healing power of a well-timed fuzzy sock.
6. Boundaries = Nervous System Protection
When you say no, cancel plans, or let the phone go to voicemail, you’re not being difficult—you’re protecting your bandwidth. Your nervous system loves safety and predictability. It thrives when you stop saying yes to things that make you feel like a shaken soda bottle.
7. Connection Calms
Even introverts need safe connection. A text from someone who gets you. A five-minute cuddle with your dog. A conversation that doesn’t involve pretending you’re “fine.” Co-regulation is real—and sometimes it’s the thing that helps the most.
8. Be Kind to the Body That’s Trying So Hard
Your body is not failing you. It’s protecting you the best way it knows how. Yes, it can be annoying. Yes, it can feel unfair. But when you offer yourself compassion—even if it’s just saying, “This is hard, and I’m doing the best I can”—you create space for healing.
You don’t need to lose your mind to calm it. No yurt, no Bali retreat, no spiritual overhaul required. Just a few shockingly simple tricks—like humming, stretching, or staring at the ceiling for five guilt-free minutes—can nudge your nervous system back from the edge.
Call it medicine. Call it rebellion. Either way, it works.
You deserve more than just managing pain. You deserve actual peace. Let’s start there.
