When it comes to living your best life, having a regulated, well-functioning nervous system is key.

There are many ways to improve the health of your nervous system overall (meaning you will not get activated as quickly in general) like somatic exercises, mindfulness practices, Yin Yoga, etc.

But what I want to talk about here are the things you can do when you actually find yourself in that activated fight or flight state.

While it’s a very useful state when there is actual danger involved, oftentimes the danger is only perceived and there is really no true need for our body to be vigilant and protect us.

There is a massive difference in the activated state kicking in when, from my example, a car was not slowing down when I was in the middle of the pedestrian crossing & being in survival mode allowed me to react fast enough to leap onto the hood and push myself sideways so that I didn’t end up on the main road or beneath the car…versus when I had to show up on my first date with my now husband.

Massive, massive difference between the two.

We want our nervous system to protect us when there’s danger…

…but we also don’t want it to perceive something as dangerous just because it’s unfamiliar or out of our comfort zone.

And here’s where these techniques come in.

I practice all of these personally and find them to be extremely efficient in regulating the nervous system.

I invite you to test all of them out for yourself first and then see if maybe you find some personal go-to favorites.

Vagus breath

This was the very first technique I learned many years ago and it works like a charm. What we’re doing here is lengthening the exhale compared to the inhale, which our body reads as a safety cue.

For vagus breath, you inhale through the nose for a count of four, then exhale through the mouth (as if blowing through a straw) for a count of eight.

Repeat this until you feel calm.

Usually the effect kicks in within a few minutes, sometimes even within the minute.

Vagus breath is also something you can do in general, even when you’re not in an activated state. It’s an excellent breathing practice to do while meditating, resting, sitting on a plane, or just whenever you have a break in your day and want to do something good for yourself. It truly has such a pleasant, calming effect on your entire state of being that there’s no reason not to do it.

Sometimes I like to practice the breath during Yin Yoga, especially in times when I feel restless. So truly, this can be something in your toolkit that you can reach for daily.

Pulling/Tugging your earlobes

This is another technique that works super fast and is so, so simple to do.

You grab hold of the bottom of your earlobes with your thumb and index finger. Then begin to slowly but pretty firmly tug your lobes down.

I like to alternate the tugs, so it goes left ear, right ear, left ear, right ear…

For me personally, this often works even faster than the Vagus breath. I also enjoy it because it’s such a discreet practice that it can be done literally anywhere.

Acupressure point GV26

This is especially useful if you’re experiencing anxiety or a panic attack.

Locate the point in the hollow between your nose and teeth (it approximately right above the beginning of your teeth) and press firmly with the tip of your finger for a minute or so.

This is also an excellent point to turn to when you’re feeling dizzy, and it’s actually one of the points used in EFT….

…which brings us to the next technique.

EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)

I did a comprehensive article on EFT that I’ll link here for you to read through. There’s even a free downloadable guide included to simplify the learning process.

EFT is another great way to bring your nervous system back into balance – although unlike the previous techniques, it does require you to name the undesired state your in like disregulation, anxiety, restlessness, nervousness, overwhelm, etc. You have to find some way to label what it is that you will be releasing and transmuting, and of course be in a position where you can talk out loud.

Aside from that, EFT is a fast and efficient process. So if you find yourself in an activated state, you can absolutely do a round or two of tapping and you’ll find that undesired state quickly dissipating until it’s gone.

Heel rocking

This is another thing I have already mentioned in a previous article.

Heel rocking is a somatic movement, for which we are lying on our backs with our legs extended long and our arms down by our sides. We then press the balls of our feet forward and back (essentially, pointing the toes and then flexing the foot), which creates a very soothing rocking motion in our body.

Even a minute of this movement can alleviate anxiety and invite the parasympathetic system to turn on.

All you truly need for this one is a floor and enough space for you to stretch out.

Shaking

This last modality definitely requires you to be in a space where you can move freely. It can be helpful to put some music on too, although I tend to practice in silence because I’m creating rhythm with my feet.

Shaking is essentially a way to dispel unwanted or stuck energy from your body. While this might not provide you with the usual almost sleepy state of the parasympathetic system, it will lead to you feeling looser, more relaxed, free, or you might even find yourself in a state of very satisfactory bliss afterwards.

Shaking is precisely what the name implies. We shake our body.

It’s good to start with your hands, followed by the feet, before spreading the movement through the entire body.

There is no right or wrong here. We’re not creating dance moves. We are literally just shaking all the crap out.

If it helps, think of dogs. Do you know how they shake they whole body, basically resetting themselves?

This is very similar in principle.

I like to do shaking for 3 minutes since I find that to be a sweet spot, but definitely play around with the time and see what suits you best.

If you want a visual representation of the techniques, I put together a short video that showcases them all.

There are many more tools & techniques for nervous system regulation, but since I like to teach from experience, I decided to share the ones that I have been practicing for a long time now and have truly become my go-tos for quick nervous system regulation.

Again, I invite you to try all of them out. Even if you’re not in an activated state right now, you’ll still feel the effects of these practices…and it’s always beneficial to learn something before you actually need it.

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