How to Recognize the Signs of Nervous System Dysregulation and What to Do About It

Understanding our nervous system and how it responds to stress is essential not just for mental health but for physical health. When our body is chronically stressed, it quickly depletes our mineral stores and other nutrients.

Our nervous system influences how we respond to stress, process emotions, and navigate our surroundings. When it gets out of whack or dysregulated it can lead to various physical and emotional challenges that disrupt everyday life.

Let's talk about how to identify the signs of nervous system dysregulation and find some actionable steps to help restore balance.

What is Nervous System Dysregulation?

Nervous system dysregulation occurs when the body’s stress response system is imbalanced. The stress response is the body's automatic "fight-or-flight" reaction to a perceived threat or challenge. It involves a rapid, simultaneous cascade of hormonal and nervous system changes that increase heart rate, sharpen senses, and boost energy to help the body confront or flee from a threat. Once the perceived danger is over, a separate system works to calm the body and restore it to a normal state. 

If our body continues to see something as stressful, our adrenals continue to produce cortisol in our fight, fight or flee response.

We may experience increased anxiety, emotional instability, and physical symptoms such as fatigue, headaches/migraines, dizziness and/or muscle tension.

Common Signs of Nervous System Dysregulation

1. Increased Anxiety and Irritability

One major sign of nervous system dysregulation is heightened anxiety and irritability. You might feel restless, easily overwhelmed, or find yourself reacting more strongly to minor stressors (especially as mom). For instance, an unexpected change in routine (your child won't nap, they have been whining all morning and you didn't eat breakfast) that would normally be a minor inconvenience may suddenly feel unbearable. This increased vulnerability can lead to a persistent cycle of anxiety that feels hard to overcome.

I know for me the smallest things would set me off and instead of adapting and moving on I would be filled with so much rage that I would completely lose it or just shut down entirely.

2. Physical Symptoms

Dysregulation can show up physically in various ways. Common symptoms include:

• Chronic fatigue, lack of motivation

• Tension or pain in muscles, often leading to headaches

• Headaches or migraines brought on by mineral depletion

• Digestive issues like bloating or irregular bowel movements, constipation

• Increased need for caffeine or stimulants

  
  

3. Sleep Disturbances

Difficulty sleeping can also be a significant sign of nervous system dysregulation. You may struggle with insomnia, or not being able to fall asleep at night feeling "wired but tired" and not being able to shut your brain off or trouble staying asleep because cortisol is still elevated in the evening when it should be low.

4. Emotional Numbness or Overwhelm

Some people may feel emotionally numb, disconnected from their own feelings or surroundings. Others may find it hard to manage their emotions, leading to mood swings or emotional outbursts. For instance, you might find yourself crying at a commercial one day, yet feeling completely disconnected the next. Both ends of the emotional spectrum can signal that your nervous system is struggling with balance.

On an HTMA test we can actually see this on your results. It is called a "calcium shell" and it is where calcium becomes elevated, acting a protective shell for the nervous system however it can block other minerals from getting into the cell. This is usually seen after a traumatic event or highly emotional or highly stressful event. I experienced this myself after not being able to nurse my child and having to exclusively pump while also making an hour trip one way with my screaming baby in the back seat unable to stop. You can be I began to shut down emotionally to cope.

5. Difficulty Concentrating

An overwhelmed nervous system often leads to cognitive challenges. You may notice difficulties in focusing, making decisions, or recalling information. As a mom you may feel like small tasks are overwhelming and your are easily distracted. For me this looks like walking in a room and forgetting what I walked in there for!

What to Do About Nervous System Dysregulation

Identifying the signs of nervous system dysregulation is just the beginning. Here are several practical strategies to help you regain balance:

1. Breathe Work

Practicing deep breathing exercises like box breathing or belly breathing can be really helpful to bringing down your heart rate, lowering stress hormones and reminding your body it's okay.

2. Establish a Routine

A structured daily routine provides a sense of predictability, which can be particularly comforting for a dysregulated nervous system. Incorporate regular meal times, dedicated exercise or walk sessions, and relaxation periods into your day. For me meal planning for the week has been really helpful in making sure I don't skip a meal. Eating too low calorie or skipping meals can really mess with our blood sugar levels leading to emotional and irritable contributing to our stress and keeping cortisol elevated.

3. Go on a Walk

Exercise, even going for a walk releases endorphins, improving mood and reducing stress. Aim for at least a 30-minute walk outside a few days a week. I like to go in the mornings with my daughter to help set my intentions and plan for the day in my mind and it gives me a break. Maybe for you its at the end of the day before or after dinner. Walking is bilateral stimulation which means it involves alternating stimulation of both sides of the body or brain.

4. Co-Regulation

Co-regulation for stress is a relational process where one person's calm nervous system helps another person regulate their own emotions and physiological responses during distress. It involves a connection based on safety and emotional understanding, where one person's stable presence and responsive actions, like calm voice and facial expressions, help to soothe the other's stress response, creating a feedback loop that promotes emotional balance and connection. For me this can be asking my husband for a long tight hug or even taking a contact nap with my child.

5.The 5-4-3-2-1 Exercise

The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise is a mindfulness technique used to help calm anxiety and bring focus to the present moment. 

How to Perform:

1. 5 Things You Can See: Identify five objects in your surroundings and describe them in detail. 

2. 4 Things You Can Touch: Notice four sensations of touch, such as the texture of your clothes, the warmth of a cup, or the breeze on your skin. 

3. 3 Things You Can Hear: Listen to three distinct sounds, such as traffic, birdsong, or the hum of a fan. 

4. 2 Things You Can Smell: Identify two smells, even if they are faint. 

5. 1 Thing You Can Taste: Notice a taste, even if it's just water or your own saliva. 

6.Humming

Humming can stimulate the vagus nerve and help to regulate your nervous system. The stimulation activates the parasympathetic nervous system—the system responsible for calming you down and reversing the fight-or-flight response. When activated, the body shifts into rest-and-digest mode, which decreases stress and promotes relaxation.

6. Seek Professional Support

Consider reaching out to a mental health professional, you don't have to wait until things feel out of control. Therapy can provide you with valuable tools and strategies to manage stress and help regulate your nervous system effectively.

Other tips:

Get off social media and the news for a while! This can really be a trigger for my stress at times and I just have to put my phone down, takes some breaths and walk outside.

Test Don't Guess!

Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) is one of my favorite tools for those under acute or chronic stress because it offers a long-term snapshot of how the body's mineral balance has been affected by chronic stress. Unlike a blood test, which shows a mineral snapshot at a specific moment, an HTMA reflects mineral trends over several months. This helps create a personalized blueprint for restoring mineral balance. 

Signs of Mineral Imbalance:

• Hair loss or thinning, brittle nails

• Mood changes, irritability, anxiety, depression, overwhelm

• Difficulty Concentrating

• Heart palpitations or racing heart

• Headaches and migraines

• Numbness or tingling

• Difficulty falling asleep

• GI issues like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation

• Lack of motivation, need for stimulants

• Anemia and increased infections

• Behavior and sleep issues (in children)

Learn More About HTMA