{"id":10916,"date":"2026-06-11T19:44:40","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T19:44:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/flushinghospital.org\/newsletter\/?p=10916"},"modified":"2026-06-11T19:44:40","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T19:44:40","slug":"how-to-reset-and-regulate-your-nervous-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flushinghospital.org\/newsletter\/how-to-reset-and-regulate-your-nervous-system\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Reset and Regulate Your Nervous System"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Our nervous system is our biological survival system,\u00a0our first line of defense\u00a0that is designed to respond\u00a0to any stimuli, such as an environmental or psychological threat that we may\u00a0encounter.\u00a0It works to protect and keep us safe, as it\u00a0continually processes information and responds to both internal and external stimuli.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The autonomic nervous system controls all automatic or involuntary functions of the body. It is made up of two main parts, the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The sympathetic nervous system, or \u201cfight-or-flight” system,\u00a0is responsible for\u00a0preparing the body to\u00a0respond to\u00a0anything that may be seen as a threat,\u00a0triggering\u00a0the release\u00a0of\u00a0the stress hormones\u00a0adrenaline and cortisol.\u00a0These hormones activate our automatic survival responses, which include fight, flight, freeze, or fawn,\u00a0<\/span>causing us to experience symptoms, such as rapid heart rate, shallow breathing, and upset stomach, among others.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The parasympathetic nervous system, or \u201crest and digest\u201d system, plays an essential part in counteracting the\u00a0fight-or-flight response\u00a0and regulating the body\u2019s\u00a0stress response. It promotes\u00a0relaxation and recovery, which helps the body calm down.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is important to note that our nervous system\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0know the difference between a real threat and a non-life-threatening stressor.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stress can be healthy, as it can motivate us\u00a0into action and help us rise to any challenges. However, many people are being pushed beyond the\u00a0desirable levels of stress and into a state of distress.\u00a0Our sympathetic nervous system gets sent into\u00a0high gear because we continue to be on high alert, constantly reacting to stressors after stressors, and not\u00a0giving our parasympathetic nervous system time to\u00a0do its job to calm the body. Due to this, many people are not recovering\u00a0as they may need to.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Without sufficient ways to reset and recover, we go from manageable stress to unmanageable distress. This\u00a0persistent trigger can gradually lead\u00a0to anxiety,\u00a0irritability,\u00a0fatigue,\u00a0exhaustion, and\u00a0eventually burnout.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There will always be times when our fight-or-flight response gets triggered.\u00a0That\u2019s\u00a0why it is important to have\u00a0ways to engage the parasympathetic nervous system and regulate the body back into a state of calm and balance\u00a0so that\u00a0we\u00a0can\u00a0function properly.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are a few ways to reset and regulate our nervous systems:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n