My Top 10 Self-Care Ideas for Nervous System Reset
Have you ever felt revved up or completely depleted after a stressor has passed? You may even feel like the stressor is still present, even though it's passed.
The nervous system is responsible for everything from breathing, walking, and feeling, to thinking. And when there is danger or a perception of danger, the nervous system, if functioning properly, activates to prepare for danger. This activation of the nervous system happens within seconds while calming down the nervous system can take hours or days.
And after repeated or long-term stress, the nervous system can stay turned on. So when the challenge is complete, it can take weeks or more for your nervous system to recover.
Whether you have experienced repeated stressors without enough recovery time in between. Or the stressor has passed, but you feel like you are still expecting the next bad thing to happen. You may still feel like your "nerves" are firing more than they need to or they don't want to fire at all. Either way, let’s explore ways to reset your nervous system.
My top 10 self-care ideas for nervous system reset
You are about to get an inside look into my favorite self-care practices. In fact, it's the first time I've shared all my tools in one place!
Meditation: I have been meditating daily for the past 6 months. I didn't start off consistently, but I now truly miss it if I don't include this in my day. If you are new to meditation, I recommend starting off with guided meditation before you try sitting with a timer. Or take an intro to mindfulness class mindfulness class from a trained teacher or use a meditation app. (I recommend the Midwest Alliance for Mindfulness for classes and the Insight Timer app for meditations. If you don't know where to start, listen to one of the meditations on my personal playlists: breathing exercises and self-compassion meditations.)
Nature: I love being in nature, whether it's walking, hiking, sitting, or putting my bare feet on the Earth. It's an invitation for me to slow down, leave my phone inside, listen, and connect. One of the most soothing things I do is sit on my deck, sensing, and savoring all the living beings, colors, and sounds around me.
Music: I also really love music, and it can help calm or energize me, depending on what I need at the time. You can make or find playlists for different moods on apps, such as Spotify or Amazon Music. Here are a few playlists I've created on Spotify: Opening to Receive (calming) and Uplifting (energizing).
Dance: Moving your body in a way that feels good can help you release tension and improve your mood. I spontaneously play one of my energizing playlists and dance, and I haven't had formal training since I was 5! So anyone can try this. You don't need to take a class, just move in a way that feels good and freeing. (If you want to dance with others, here are a few intuitive movement classes I found during the pandemic: 5Rhythms and Qoya.)
Yoga: I've been doing yoga on and off for so long, I can do my own stretches and postures without a guide. But if you have never tried yoga, start with a beginner’s or basics class. Then, focus on the more calming forms, such as gentle, yin, or restorative yoga. (Here is my personal playlist on YouTube for gentle forms of yoga. Or for improving sleep and deep relaxation, I recommend this meditation playlist on Yoga Nidra, as you don't move at all.)
Journaling: My journal is one of the places I connect with myself and it holds many things. It holds the wisdom I receive, ideas I have, and reflections from my reading. It is also the place where I gain clarity on boundaries, feelings, and what I want to shift. Overall, it is a place where I increase my awareness and get really honest with myself. You can use journaling for a variety of things from organizing, reflecting, creating, and releasing. (If this interests you, but you are unsure where to start, here is a really great article on "13 powerful journaling techniques".)
Painting: I love to combine painting with music. I started with more abstract painting, then paint pouring, landscape painting, mixed media, and even paint-by-number. I find creating purely for my enjoyment is freeing even if it doesn't always turn out as I want it to! You can find many art and painting tutorials on YouTube, look for art classes near you, or even just start exploring and creating art.
Reading: I am reading several books at once because I have a hard time finishing books! But, it does relax me and make me sleepy. I look for books that either expand my awareness of what's possible, make me laugh, or connect me with interesting characters. If you are really stressed, it can be hard to focus, so try one of the other calming practices first.
Napping: If I'm really exhausted and it's the middle of the day, I take a nap. I literally set a timer on my watch for 20-30 minutes, turn off my phone or play soothing music, and just allow myself the gift of rest.
Snuggling: Snuggling with my kids is one of my favorite calming activities before bed. If you are missing a human touch throughout your day, you can snuggle with yourself and a soft blanket, a pet, or a loved one. A soothing touch deactivates stress and releases calming hormones. And you don't need an app for that!
Don't think of this as a long list of things to add to your to-do list. Instead, it's a soothing salve you get to apply and see which one feels the best. You can use any of these as a preventative daily self-care practice or when you are feeling triggered emotionally.
What are your favorite self-care practices?
Marci Payne, MA, LPC
Holistic Therapist & Self-Love Coach
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