3 simple ways to regulate your nervous system

The small things your body is probably already asking for

Maybe you’ve felt it before…

That moment when everything feels like too much and you just want your body to calm down, but you’re too overwhelmed to even figure out how to do that.

Maybe you try to remember the breathing techniques someone told you about, but they feel too complicated right now.

Maybe you think about opening one of those meditation apps, but that feels like just another thing you’re going to fail at.

Maybe you consider starting some kind of wellness routine, but honestly, that sounds like more pressure when you’re already maxed out.

If this resonates…

What if beginning to regulate your nervous system could be simpler than all of that?

What if it didn’t require learning anything new or adding anything complicated to your day?

What if, instead, there were simpler things you could do?

Not quick fixes that make everything better right now, but just small, consistent things that help your nervous system build more capacity over time?

Fortunately, those things exist.

Here are a few that might feel too easy or simple to work, but they quietly support your body’s ability to regulate without you having to force anything.

Photo by garrett parker on Unsplash

1) Move your body in any way that feels good

Our nervous systems process stress through movement.

When something stressful happens, our bodies want to shake it off, walk it out, or release the tension somehow.

But most of us have learned to sit still instead, because that’s what we’re supposed to do at work, in meetings, in all the places where stress actually happens.

So the activation stays in our systems with nowhere to go, quietly building up over time until we feel wound up and don’t know why.

The good news is that we don’t need some intense workout routine to help our bodies process this.

A short walk around the block can give our bodies a way to move what’s stuck.

Stretching or shaking on the floor for a few minutes can potentially release tension we may not realize we’re holding.

Dancing in the kitchen for three minutes might help energy move through rather than get trapped.

What matters isn’t necessarily the type of movement or how long we do it.

It’s more about giving our bodies permission to complete what they’ve been trying to do all along.

2) Get outside daily

This one might seem too obvious or simple, but our nervous system uses natural light and fresh air to recalibrate.

And even five or ten minutes outside can shift how our bodies feel, especially if we’ve been indoors under artificial light all day.

What’s more, you don’t need to go for a hike or find the perfect nature spot to get some benefits.

Stepping into your backyard works.

Standing on your balcony works.

Walking to the end of your driveway and back works.

The key is just allowing your body to get some time in nature as often as possible.

Your body knows what to do with sunlight and air and open space, and sometimes that’s all it needs to start settling.

Carrie Bennett has done some great work on this.

3) Pause and notice where you are

A few times throughout your day, maybe just pause for a moment.

You could try to notice your body’s connection with whatever surface is holding you right now.

The chair.

The floor.

The ground.

Whatever it is.

Maybe you can also notice your breath without trying to change it.

You can also try looking around and letting your eyes take in your environment.

The colors.

The shapes.

The light.

The point here is just giving your nervous system a chance to orient itself and remember that you’re here, right now, and you’re (hopefully) okay.

Sometimes that simple act of pausing and noticing is enough to interrupt the activation cycle and help your body return to a safer state.

Bonus: Listen to your body’s basic signals

Here’s something else that might sound almost too simple, but it makes a real difference and is too important not to mention:

See if you can notice when your body tells you it needs to use the bathroom and actually let yourself go.

See if you can notice when you’re thirsty and let yourself get some water.

See if you can notice when you’re hungry and let yourself eat something.

Unfortunately, most of us have gotten so good at ignoring these signals that we don’t even notice we’re doing it anymore.

We tend to push through because we’re in a meeting or trying to finish something, or just don’t want to interrupt our flow.

But every time we override one of these basic impulses, we’re teaching our nervous system that its signals don’t matter.

That what it needs can wait.

And when we start listening to these simpler signals, something interesting happens.

We usually get better at noticing the other ones, too.

The urge to move.

The need for fresh air.

The moment when we need to pause and reset.

Our bodies are always communicating with us.

Sometimes, regulation is just about listening.

Why simple actually works

These things aren’t magic, and they probably won’t fix everything that’s hard in your life.

But they might just give your nervous system some of what it needs to do some of the regulating work it’s already trying to do.

Movement to process what’s stuck.

Nature to recalibrate.

Pausing to orient and settle.

Listening to help you notice what you need.

That’s it.

There’s no need to overcomplicate this or add it to some elaborate self-care routine.

These are just gentle steps to allow your system to naturally settle on its own.

Remember: Our bodies already know how to regulate.

Sometimes, they just need us to get out of the way and let them.

Want to support The Slow Return?

If this work resonates with you, you can support it here.

Entirely optional, always appreciated. ❤️