Nervous System Regulation Strategies

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 15 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀. I've met dozens of high-performers who thought they needed to eliminate stress from their lives. Wrong approach. 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵: Stress is the enemy. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Poor recovery is what kills performance. The highest performers I know don't avoid pressure. They recover from it faster than their competition. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀: Your nervous system has two modes: fight-or-flight (sympathetic) and rest-and-digest (parasympathetic). Most executives LIVE in sympathetic overdrive for 12+ hours straight. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀. Just like muscle adaptation, you need the stress stimulus. But the magic happens in recovery. Without intentional downtime, you're not building resilience. You're accumulating damage. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 15-𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Elite performers have strategies to flip the switch from stress to recovery. I’m not just talking about apps or retreats. Active protocols that shift physiology in real time. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲: 🫁 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4 second inhales, hold for 7 seconds, long exhale for 8 seconds. This shifts you from sympathetic to parasympathetic in minutes. 🧘 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴: A few minutes of targeted stretches signals your nervous system to downshift. ⚡ 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝘀: The best operators I know don't wing their downtime. Schedule your recovery sessions, whether a sauna or something else, like you schedule board meetings. 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲: 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 + 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 = 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵. Every top performer has systems for this equation. Your HRV (heart rate variability) trends tells you if it's working. And when your nervous system is recovered, you make better decisions under pressure. The companies who understand this are building an unfair advantage. Their people have clarity in hour 12 that competitors lose in hour 3. What's your non-negotiable recovery practice? (The one you actually stick to, not the one you wish you did 😉)

Most people don’t leave because they hate their job. They leave because they’re exhausted—mentally, emotionally, and physically. One participant in the Stress Reset program said it best: “I didn’t want to leave. I just didn’t know how to keep going without burning out.” When stress builds without a reset, your nervous system gets stuck in survival mode. We call that the Red Zone—racing thoughts, irritability, tension in your chest, jaw, or shoulders, trouble focusing, or wanting to withdraw. It’s the opposite of the Green Zone, where you feel grounded, calm, and capable. Here’s how to shift before stress takes over: 🟥 STOP Notice how your body feels. Are you reactive? Overwhelmed? Foggy? Just name it: “I’m in the Red Zone.” 🧠 Naming activates the prefrontal cortex and begins to interrupt the stress response. 🟨 BREATHE Take 3 slow, conscious breaths. 🧠 Deep breathing sends a signal of safety to the nervous system, shifting you out of fight-or-flight. 🟩 GO Try one of these simple, science-backed resets—no need to leave your desk: 🔹 Look out the window and take in the colors and textures of nature → Visual grounding activates the parasympathetic system. 🔹 Close your eyes and imagine yourself finishing the day inspired and peaceful → Mental imagery calms the amygdala and reorients you to purpose. 🔹 Write down one thing you're grateful for → Gratitude boosts dopamine and reduces stress hormone levels, helping the brain shift from threat to safety. This is how we help people stay— Not by pushing harder, but by teaching them how to come back to themselves, moment by moment so they can meet the demands of work without abandoning their well-being. #BurnoutRecovery #EmotionalResilience #WorkplaceWellbeing

Why I Love the Vagus Nerve as a Psychiatrist (And why you should, too). I’ve spent years studying how the brain and body respond to stress. One of the most powerful, underappreciated tools for stress and emotional regulation? The vagus nerve - it’s the single most important nerve in your body when it comes to calming down, thinking clearly, and building real stress resilience. Love it. Tend to it. Nurture it. When you understand the vagus nerve, you unlock one of the most effective ways to regulate your emotions, your body—and your life. The vagus nerve (Latin vagari, “to wander”) is the longest cranial nerve in the body. It originates in the brainstem and travels through the neck, past the heart and lungs, and into nearly every major internal organ — including the stomach, intestines, liver, and kidneys. It’s a two-way communication superhighway between brain and body. Over 80% of its fibers are afferent, meaning they carry information from the body to the brain — making it central to how we regulate emotion and sense safety. Under stress, the sympathetic nervous system — "fight or flight" — kicks in, releasing cortisol. It’s helpful in emergencies but harmful when chronically activated. Prolonged stress contributes to anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, depression, inflammation, and gut and cardiovascular issues. The vagus nerve counterbalances this. As the main driver of the parasympathetic nervous system — “rest and digest” — it slows heart rate, deepens breathing, improves digestion, lowers inflammation, and helps restore clarity. Stimulating the vagus nerve can reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, panic, and so much more. It’s so impactful that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is FDA-approved for treatment-resistant depression. But here’s the best part: you can stimulate it naturally — no device required! Here are 3 simple ways to engage your vagus nerve: 1. Slow, Diaphragmatic Breathing - Breathe into your belly with longer exhales (inhale for 4, exhale for 6) for 2–3 minutes. It’s simple, fast, and effective. 2. Cold Exposure - A cool shower or splash of cold water on the face stimulates vagal pathways and promotes a parasympathetic shift. 3. Humming, Chanting, or Singing - Because the vagus nerve passes the vocal cords, vocal sounds stimulate it—while also promoting regulated breathing and mood elevation. By tending to this powerful nerve, we improve not only our stress response, but our mood, focus, digestion, immunity, and brain health. And the best part? It’s already inside you — free, science-backed, and ready to go. 👉 Follow me for expert insights on mental performance, stress recovery, and hormone-smart brain health. Just a warning - I love the vagus nerve so much, expect more posts about it!! #VagusNerve #Neuroscience #HRV #MentalHealth #StressResilience #Psychiatry #CognitivePerformance #EmotionalRegulation #foundermentalhealth #Depression #Anxiety

Ever feel like the world is too loud? Or like you’re emotionally checked out? You’re not alone! Next time you’re feeling overstimulated or completely numb… Try this one simple technique: FACIAL TAPPING It’s a quick and easy way to calm your nervous system, get grounded, and reconnect with yourself. Facial tapping (or Emotional Freedom Technique, EFT) can be surprisingly helpful. It can bring some relief when things feel too intense or when you feel disconnected from your emotions. The practice involves gently tapping specific points on your face and body. All while focusing on your feelings or thoughts. As it can help bring awareness back to your body and emotions. Here’s why it can be beneficial: 1. Regulates the Nervous System: Facial tapping engages acupressure points, signaling the brain to calm down and shift out of the fight-or-flight response. It’s like a reset button for your nervous system, reducing the sense of overwhelm that comes with overstimulation. 2. Grounding and Mindfulness: When you’re feeling emotionally numb, you’re disconnected from your feelings and body. Tapping reintroduces a sense of physical sensation and brings your awareness back to the present moment, which can gently draw you out of that numb state. 3. Reduces Cortisol Levels: Research suggests that tapping can decrease cortisol levels, the stress hormone. This can help lower the overall stress response, making it easier to manage emotional reactions and refocus on what’s truly happening inside. 4. Easy and Accessible: You can do it anywhere, and it doesn’t require any tools. In moments of overwhelm, simply using your fingers to tap gently on your face gives you a portable, practical way to self-soothe. 5. Promotes Emotional Release: Even if you’re unsure of what you’re feeling, tapping can help you process buried or stagnant emotions. By engaging with your body, it creates an opportunity for release, helping you gradually reconnect with yourself. So, give it a chance the next time you’re feeling overwhelmed or disconnected! ---------------------------------------- Hi, I’m Kiley and I'm a Certified Health Coach helping you create more supportive eating habits Find my featured section for: -A link to book a success session for advice about your eating behaviors -A link to my newsletter to get weekly support and tools to help you eat in a way that feels easy Or visit: www[dot]kileyshealthhavenllc[dot]com

If your nervous system is dysregulated, no strategy will save you. You’ll misread texts. Overthink silence. React instead of respond. And confuse burnout with failure. Most people try to fix their life with a new planner. I say: fix your pace, not your plan. Here’s what nervous system healing actually looks like (and it’s not trending on productivity TikTok): ✅ Logging out of stimulation—because your brain isn’t a browser with 19 tabs open. ✅ Being around safe people—not those who inspire you, but those who calm your body. ✅ Ignoring emails after work—because urgency is often self-inflicted trauma disguised as professionalism. Want to regulate stress and recover from trauma? Don’t start with therapy. Start with safety. The nervous system is like a frightened animal. It doesn’t need discipline. It needs gentleness, slowness, and a signal: you’re safe now. Heal the system. Watch your clarity, energy, and joy return—without needing to hustle harder.