Lorri Angell, LPC-Associate, EMDR Trained, ADS
Supervised by Cristy Ragland, LPC-S, LMFT-S, RPT-S, EMDR certified
Simple Tools to Calm Your Nervous System: Part 1 of 3
Our nervous system is an amazing neurobiological tool that helps keep us safe in the world. It is constantly scanning our environment for cues of safety and “danger” to send our brain messages of how to react. This system is built for survival and we need our physiological processes to act quickly in moments of true danger. However, it is harmful to our minds, bodies, and relationships when we tend to perpetually function in a state of high alert. It is important for our mental, physical and relational health to find simple ways to calm ourselves, and regulate our nervous systems.
This is part one of a three part series with simple tools to help get our bodies out of a stress state and into a calm state, to optimize our mental, physical and relational health. Just like exercising and diet – consistency is key.
Note: There are a significant amount of physiological factors at play in experiencing a dysregulated vs regulated nervous system including: the amygdala, the prefrontal cortex, the vagus nerve, adrenaline and cortisol levels just to name a few. To make this more concise, I’m going to focus less on psychoeducation (how it works) and more on practical application (what to do).
The first step to utilizing these tools is awareness of when we need to use them by paying attention to our bodies’ warning signals. There are variations from person to person, but below are some common symptoms of being in a stressed state.
Body warning signs
Tightness in face, head, jaw, neck, chest, shoulders, back, arms and/or legs
Upset stomach
Shallow breathing
Increased sensitivity to OR disconnected from surroundings
Clouded thinking
Feeling shaky or jittery
Increased sweating
Racing heartbeat
Relational warning signs
You feel urge to fight, escape, freeze, and/or people please
You don’t enjoy people or activities that you normally enjoy
You lose sight of a person as a whole and fixate on a problem
You cannot tap into appreciation or compassion (for the other or for yourself)
You are not curious and do not want to genuinely listen to others
You tend to judge, blame, interrogate and/or try to fix others
Think about ways that stress and overwhelm tend to show up for you, mentally, physically and relationally. Like the warning lights on the dashboard of a car, it is important to pay attention. The longer you ignore the signs, the more damage is being done. Prevention and early intervention is key. It’s important to cultivate awareness of these warning signals and create the habit to pause in these moments (as soon as you notice) to calm your system.
There are numerous ways to calm one’s nervous system when any of these stress symptoms occur. This post offers two categories to consider: breath and micro movement. I encourage you to try these, see how they feel for you and habit stack whenever possible. (I’ll include an example of habit stacking towards the end).
Breathing
Breath is always with us, and provides a quick and simple way to shift states. Belly (diaphragmatic) breathing is very helpful in signaling to your body that it is safe. If you are unsure of how to do this, put a hand on your belly. Take a deep inhale through your nose as if you are trying to fill your entire torso like a balloon, expanding outwards in every direction. Your hand on your belly should go out when you inhale and back in when you exhale. All inhales and exhales should be through your nose, unless you are yawning or doing a breath work technique. When you breathe, your tongue should be gently resting on the roof of your mouth.
One of my favorite breath techniques is “box breathing.” To box breathe, belly breathe in through your nose for four counts and hold for four, breathe out through your nose for four and hold for four. Try to do at least four rounds of slow, intentional box breaths with belly and nose breathing and notice how your body feels afterwards. Perhaps practice this when you notice signs of stress.
Key points: Belly breathing and nose breathing are contributing factors to mental, physical and relational health. This way of breathing prevents long term issues due to the cascade effect of heightened adrenal-cortisol levels that mouth and shallow chest breathing bring. Box breathing is one of many breathing techniques to calm your system. To read more, search diaphragmatic breathing, nose breathing, Buteyko breathing, victorious breathing, and/ or calming breathing techniques.
Movements
While exercise is foundational for health (ideally 20 minutes a day), there are also micro movements, including several that stimulate the vagus nerve, that shift us out of the fight/ flight/ freeze/ appease state and into a more grounded state. Many of these could be done at the office, gym, store, stop light or kitchen sink during a brief pause. See the below video for demonstrations.
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Slowly walking, rocking or swaying (especially barefoot on the earth when possible)
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“Peace” fingers, just in front of and behind ears, gently rubbing up and down from top to base of ears
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Rubbing circles under collarbones (pairs well with positive “I” statements- ex “I accept myself fully” or “I trust myself” etc.)
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Gentle spinal twisting (standing, seated, lying down – whatever way feels best for you.)
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Bend neck by leaning ear over to one shoulder and look up in the opposite direction. Hold for 30 counts and then do on other side.
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Hand on heart, tapping triple warmer meridian (space between pinky and ring finger bones). Switch.
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Tapping patterns on your body: head, face, chest, sides and hands. (one pattern shown in video)
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Little bounces on a mini trampoline or on the ground (5-10 min, a little better than none)
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Singing, humming and gargling (30 seconds and/ or until you feel calmer)
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Hugging safe people or trees (30 seconds and/ or until you feel your body relax)
Summary
Belly breathing, nose breathing and micro movements are simple and powerful tools to regulate your nervous system to support your mental, physical and relational health. Finding what works for you in your body and lifestyle, and using it consistently, is key. Habit stack when you can. An example might be slowly walking, rubbing gentle circles under collarbones, while box breathing using belly breaths. Or you could twist, while doing peace fingers around your ears and humming. The sky’s the limit for combining tools and techniques that work for you. We are all a work in progress and it is never too late to find the tools to help you to not only survive – but to thrive! You deserve it and this world truly needs YOU, with all of your uniqueness, in your most grounded and authentic state. Part two and part three are coming out in September!
Conclusion
While self-regulating tools are supportive to your mental, physical and relational health, they are not a substitute for professional support. The more trauma (unprocessed pain) we have, the more triggers of stress responses there tend to be. There are many trauma informed mental health professionals in Austin, Texas, including at my practice, Compassion Counseling Group. Our bios and rates are listed at: https://
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