8 Things to Avoid If You Want a Regulated Nervous System
It’s no secret that a balanced nervous system gives way to greater peace and overall well-being, but in a world full of health “gurus” and countless wellness products to choose from, it can be difficult to decipher what is truly supportive and beneficial for your nervous system. This is why we’ve compiled a simplified list to get you started.
8 things to avoid when regulating your nervous system.
1 - Stressful Media and Online Content
Depending on how we use it, social media has various effects on our nervous system. More than that, our nervous system struggles to tell the difference between offline and online social interaction. This is why we want to be consciously aware of how we feel when scrolling online and look out for negative feelings of anxiety, fear, worry, or doubt.
Be sure to follow media publications and accounts that feed positive energy and expansion within your nervous system and don’t hesitate to unfollow and unsubscribe when necessary.
2 - Excessive Screentime
It is also important to note that our nervous system requires face-to-face interactions in order to feel connected and fully engaged. Be mindful of how much time you spend scrolling through your phone and take time to disconnect from the online world for considerable impact and stress prevention.
3 - Spending Too Much Time Indoors
Giving your nervous system plenty of fresh air and time outdoors has numerous positive effects. Being out in nature promotes relaxation, increases mood through positive hormone production, and provides a higher level of motivation to move your body and access the Play State more easily.
For better mental, emotional, and physical health, ensure you’re giving your nervous system consistent breaks from being indoors.
4 - An Inconsistent Sleep-Wake Cycle
Because the nervous system is responsible for regulating your body’s sleep-wake cycle, staying consistent is an essential practice for creating balance. Early morning sunlight (especially outdoors) helps to reset the body’s biological clock and likewise, prompts the production of serotonin which enhances mood throughout the day.
Establishing a regular bedtime routine is equally as important to support a balanced nervous system. To promote better quality sleep, avoid electronics close to bedtime and create a relaxing external and internal environment through reading, taking a bath, mediation, or slow breathing.
5 - Eating 3 Hours Before Bedtime
Another key component to helping your nervous system rest-and-digest (in the ventral vagal state) is to avoid eating before bedtime. If no energy is diverted towards digestion during sleep, the nervous system will be much more capable of repairing and replenishing itself overnight, leading to a much better start of the next day.
6 - Excessive Consumption of Alcohol
Chronic use of alcohol and other substances can cause real damage to the nervous system. Both chemically and physically, alcohol provides no benefit to your nervous system health. Short term effects include decreased HRV and increased shutdown or fatigue responses. Because alcohol is a depressant, it also impairs your body’s ability to properly repair itself during sleep (meaning your nervous system is working in overdrive to repair itself).
Long term effects of frequent alcohol consumption include higher allostatic load build up in the nervous system - meaning, increased baseline stress levels and stored stress within the body. This can lead to a number of health problems and chronic dysregulation.
7 - Negative People and Social Interactions
Did you know you have a social nervous system? This is the system of nerves and neurons that allow us to interact with others. Mirror neurons are an important part of the social nervous system and allow us to understand the actions and emotions of others by simulating those actions and emotions.
Because our nervous system is wired to mirror-and-match the emotions of others, we must be vigilant in who we are spending time with. Avoid people who cause social interactions that leave you feeling drained, anxious, angry, or irritable. Practice healthy co-regulation with those who allow you to relax and feel at ease in their presence.
8 - Not Properly Managing and Releasing Stress
As we wrap up this list, we cannot stress enough the importance of releasing stored stress from your body. Allowing stress to build up within your nervous system leads to persistent symptoms of dysregulation such as gut-health issues, brain fog, chronic fatigue, and more.
Moreover, not properly managing and releasing stress creates a major disconnect from the energy of love, play, peace, and calm that optimizes well-being.
Conclusion
By making the effort to steer clear of the 8 things on this list, you will vastly increase the overall balance, flexibility, and resiliency of your nervous system. To begin your journey to greater nervous system health and fitness, download the NEUROFIT app today and begin your 6-week nervous system protocol.
