FeelingGoodWithSofy

Nowadays, it can become all too easy to get overwhelmed and stressed out by our fast-paced society. Whether it is a demanding boss, hectic work deadlines, or kids needing a lot of attention, it is fundamental to carve out some time for yourself. When we are just running from one place to another and never taking a second to slow down for a deep breath or two, the body will surely go into survival mode. It will say, “This is enough, I need rest!” In fact, it’s not healthy to just be on the move; we also need to press the stop button and give ourselves time to wind down, process information, and let the mind rest before continuing with our daily chores. Otherwise, our nervous systems will get inflamed and burned out.

Healthy, Simple Ways to Support Your Nervous System

In order to become more aware of your lifestyle, you don’t have to entirely overhaul your way of living. Small changes each week are already a lot; take it step by step, go slowly, and most importantly, remember that it is for your own good and your own wellbeing. Change doesn’t happen overnight—it’s a process that takes a while before it beautifully blooms. 🙂 Try setting small, achievable goals (you can also write them down in your diary or on post-it notes) to motivate you along the journey.

Here are five rituals that I find helpful to soothe and regulate my nervous system!

• Hydration and Cold-Water Immersion 💧: It may sound basic, but drinking plenty of water is absolutely essential for your nervous system. Before reaching for your morning tea or coffee, prioritize hydration. Keep a water glass on your night table to make it easier to remember. Studies show that it’s best to drink water before your coffee in the morning; because you wake up naturally dehydrated, you need to rehydrate your cells before drinking something stronger. To take this ritual a step further, try taking a short and refreshing cold shower, or splashing your face with cold water, which is a powerful and effective tool to reduce moments of anxiety and fatigue. I also do it whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed or in pain.

• Breathwork and Mindful Breaks: Another crucial building block to add to your everyday wellness routine is deep breathwork. This practice is known to reduce the anxiety we carry when things are difficult to manage. Think of deep breathing as a reset button; it signals to your brain that you are safe, moving your nervous system from a state of high alert to one of deep relaxation. Whenever you’re overwhelmed, pause, place a hand on your chest if you want, and focus on your breath. Be mindful and intentional while practicing, and root your feet into the ground if you want to feel more stability. This ritual is also fundamental in my everyday life; I struggle with my anxiety a lot, so it acts as a powerful anchor!

• Forest Bathing 🌳: This ritual, developed in Japan in the 1980s, is about immersing yourself in nature—walking slowly and mindfully, and taking in the beauty around you using all five senses. By this, I mean listening to the sounds of nature, seeing if there are any animals or insects around, paying attention to the small patterns of a tree, or even hugging a tree. It is a soothing way to let yourself be embraced by Mother Earth. While in nature, your whole body winds down: the production of stress hormones drops, blood pressure stabilizes, bringing a host of other health benefits. If you live in the city, consider finding parks or green areas where you can go to recharge! 💚

• Swapping Coffee for Matcha or Tea 🍵: If you’re a coffee lover, you’ll probably think, “This will never happen!” 🙂 Even though coffee has its own benefits, drinking it more than once or twice a day can be damaging to your nervous system as excessive consumption can lead to increased anxiety, sleep disruption and other side-effects. I started enjoying tea and matcha a few years ago when I was severely depressed. Drinking tea was—and is—one of my favourite rituals as it also calms me down whenever I’m feeling on edge. I’m not telling you to stop drinking your morning coffee, but rather to moderate the quantity and be open to adding tea or matcha to your routine. It’s worth a try at least! 🙂

• Somatic Practices🧘‍♀️: Last but not least, we have somatic practices for the nervous system! They are called somatic because they involve the physical body, not just the mind. It’s all about releasing emotional tension, anxiety, and stress through various physical movements, and self-soothing touch. This can include simply shaking your body out when you’re stressed, or practicing diaphragmatic breathing—placing one hand on your chest and the other on your belly to better feel your breath coming in and out. Another exercise is the 5-4-3-2-1 technique which uses the five senses to anchor your attention to the present moment. There are more practices out there, but I wanted to introduce these to get you started! 🙂

Final Thoughts… ✨

As I conclude this article, I hope you can take something away from it. It’s important to remind ourselves that we all have different needs and that we function differently; it can take some time to calibrate your nervous system, but don’t give up! It isn’t always easy to know exactly what to do when there is an imbalance in our body. With that said, keep exploring and never stop learning! ❤️

Post not sponsored