7 Therapist-Recommended Ways to Heal Your Nervous System

Therapists explain how a dysregulated nervous system can impact you — and what to do about it.

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The mind and body work in sync to keep you healthy and happy. But sometimes stress, anxiety, or trauma can cause things not to function as they should. You might end up experiencing a dysregulated nervous system, an uncomfortable situation that brings symptoms from issues with sleeping to chronic pain. 

Fortunately, you can heal your nervous system with the proper guidance and care. Here’s what you need to know about how to heal your nervous system.

What is a dysregulated nervous system?

According to Charlie Health Licensed Creative Arts Therapist Courtney Way, MA, LCAT, “A dysregulated nervous system occurs when the body’s stress response kicks in. The body’s nervous system may be overactive or underactive, but it is hallmarked by needing to return to a calm state.” It can be difficult to calm down when your nervous system becomes dysregulated. 

So, what exactly causes it to occur? According to Charlie Health Group Facilitator Bree Williams, LPCA, your nervous system can become dysregulated if you’ve experienced anxiety, chronic stress, or trauma. She adds that a nervous system dysregulation can bring symptoms, including:

• Hypervigilance
• Feeling easily triggered
• Difficulty sleeping
• Emotional numbness
• Digestive issues
• Chronic pain

How long does it take to heal your nervous system? 

There is no “one-size-fits-all process” for healing your nervous system, says Williams. It’s based on factors like your traumatic experience — length, severity, and more — along with how you cope and what supports are available to you. 

However, it’s a process that enables you to handle difficulties more effectively. “Healing the nervous system is not about ‘never feeling stress again’ — stress is part of life. It’s about improving flexibility: being able to face challenges and then return to a calm state,” says Charlie Health Contemplative Practitioner Tairesha “Sunflower” Flemister, LMSW.

How to heal your nervous system naturally 

Here are some tips from our experts on how to heal your nervous system using resources within your control. 

1. Ground yourself

Life — and your emotions — can feel more chaotic and unclear when your nervous system is dysregulated. Taking the time to ground yourself can be incredibly healing. Williams recommends trying techniques like breathwork, giving your body an internal reminder that “it’s safe to relax.” She also suggests practices such as walking barefoot, focusing on what you can grasp through your different senses, and finding ways to bring yourself into the present moment. 

2. Engage in movement 

One way to be present and relax your body is through gentle movement. You can try walking, yoga, or stretches to calm the nervous system, says Way. 

3. Practice mindfulness 

Similarly, mindfulness activities, such as meditation or yoga, can go a long way toward healing your nervous system. Charlie Health Primary Therapist Alysson Thewes, LCSW, suggests trying out expressive writing to help work through thoughts and center yourself. 

4. Connect with the world

You might feel very alone while experiencing a dysregulated nervous system. Taking the time to connect with the world can provide you with an anchor and a deeper understanding. “Safe relationships and supportive communities are crucial for healing, as connection itself regulates the nervous system,” says Williams.

Connection can also come from the natural world. Flemister recommends spending time in nature and to, quite literally, touch grass as it “can bring a sense of safety and calm.”

5. Take care of your body

Give yourself as good a foundation as you can to heal. This means getting quality sleep, having a balanced diet, and limiting stimulants, says Way. 

6. Remove negative stimuli

While this is not always possible, try to get rid of as many stressors as you can. Thewes recommends putting up boundaries between you and the things that bring stress, anxiety, or even trauma. These things might be a stressful situation, person, or activity. 

7. Work with a therapist

Therapy can be a wonderful space to get into your feelings and manage stress, anxiety, or trauma. It can “help address how trauma is stored in the body and re-establish balance in the nervous system,” says Williams. You might engage in cognitive behavioral therapy, eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), or a myriad of other techniques. 

How to heal your nervous system from anxiety 

In the simplest form, two areas might dysregulate your nervous system: the first being general stress and anxiety. If this is your experience, then with regular use of the coping mechanisms mentioned above, you could feel improvements in a few weeks to months, says Flemister.

How to heal your nervous system from trauma  

However, recovering from trauma can be a lengthier, more involved process that involves coping mechanisms, therapy, and external support. “Healing often takes longer because trauma can rewire the nervous system’s baseline,” says Williams. It may take several months to a year or more until you feel significant progress. Williams notes that this is especially true if you’ve experienced complex trauma. 

As Way puts it, “Healing the nervous system is an ongoing process that benefits from patience and consistency. Combining therapy — especially somatic or trauma-informed approaches — with lifestyle changes can create lasting regulation and resilience.” 

Sympathetic versus parasympathetic nervous systems 

Understanding how your nervous system works can also be beneficial. As Thewes explains, the autonomic nervous system is like an umbrella, while the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are two types within it. 

The sympathetic nervous system triggers a fight-or-flight response and prepares the body for physical activity, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). It can cause symptoms such as contracting of the iris and an increased heart rate. 

On the other side of the coin is the parasympathetic nervous system, which ensures your body relaxes. It can cause pupil constriction, a decreased heart rate, and bronchoconstriction, the NCBI reports. 

How to heal your autonomic nervous system

The key to healing your autonomic nervous system lies in strengthening its ability to self-regulate. It needs to move between the strengths of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, rather than remaining stuck in one unnecessarily. 

Williams suggests maintaining routines that “reduce chronic stress,” such as getting enough sleep, practicing mindfulness, and eating regular, nutritious meals. Way further recommends switching between more calming and activating activities. 

How to heal your sympathetic nervous system

Looking just at the sympathetic nervous system, there are certain healing mechanisms you can implement to limit unnecessary fight, flight, freeze, or fawn responses. 

As Flemister puts it, “This part needs signals that it’s safe to ‘stand down.’” These techniques can include breathing practices, progressive muscle relaxation, and therapy to identify your triggers and most effective coping mechanisms. 

How to heal your parasympathetic nervous system

Then there’s the parasympathetic nervous system, which might need care for getting you to those rest stages. Way recommends doing activities that “promote safety, connection, and calm, such as meditation and social bonding” to strengthen the parasympathetic nervous system. 

You might try deep breathing, light exercise, gratitude practices, or being in nature, adds Flemister. Each of these techniques can provide relaxation and improve your condition. 

How Charlie Health can help

If you or a loved one is struggling with stress or trauma, Charlie Health is here to help. Charlie Health’s virtual Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) provides more than once-weekly mental health treatment for dealing with serious mental health conditions and daily stressors. Our expert clinicians incorporate evidence-based therapies into individual counseling, family therapy, and group sessions. With treatment, healing a dysregulated nervous system is possible. Fill out the form below or give us a call to start healing today.