Tuning Into Your Nervous System: Are you Regulated or Dysregulated?

Most of us move through the day jumping between tasks, caring for others, and responding to constant demands, without noticing how it affects our nervous system. Yet your nervous system is always communicating with you. It tells you when you’re balanced, when you’re reaching capacity, and when you need to slow down. Learning to recognise these signals is one of the most powerful ways to support your health, your energy, and your emotional wellbeing.

What does “regulated” feel like?

When your nervous system is regulated, your body and mind work together more easily. Your energy flows, your muscles feel softer, and your breath is steady. Emotionally, you feel flexible and resilient, with enough space to respond rather than react. You can handle life’s ups and downs without being thrown off course for long, and you feel more grounded in your body.

What does dysregulation feel like?

Dysregulation can show up in many ways and is not always dramatic. You might notice:

• Restlessness, anxiety, or racing thoughts

• Emotional overwhelm, irritability, or numbness

• Physical tension, jaw clenching, or fatigue

• Feeling scattered, stuck, or unable to focus

• Energy highs and lows that don’t match your day

Even subtle shifts, like snapping at loved ones, overthinking small decisions, or crashing mid-afternoon, can be signs your system is out of balance.

How to check in with yourself

A few simple questions can help you understand your current state:

• Body: Where do you feel tension or discomfort?

• Breath: Is it shallow, tight, or slow and steady?

• Emotions: Are your feelings manageable, or sitting close to the surface?

• Energy: Do you feel grounded and present, or depleted and distracted?

These small check-ins strengthen your self-awareness and help you notice dysregulation early, before it snowballs.

Simple ways to support regulation

You don’t need a long practice to regulate your nervous system. Small, gentle pauses throughout the day can create powerful shifts.

• Take a few slower, deeper breaths

• Stretch, sway, or walk to move stagnant energy

• Ground yourself by noticing the floor or your surroundings

• Name what you’re feeling without judgement

These practices signal safety to your body, helping it return to a steadier baseline.

Three quick self-check practices

Here are three simple tools you can weave into your day:

1. Body Scan (1 minute)

Close your eyes and bring your awareness to your body. Notice your shoulders, jaw, stomach, and back. Can you soften even one area a little more?

2. Breath Awareness (1 minute)

Place a hand on your belly. Notice your breath. Take a few slow breaths into your belly, letting it rise and fall without force.

3. Emotion & Energy Check (1–2 minutes)

Ask yourself, “How am I feeling right now?” Is your energy grounded or scattered? Are your emotions manageable or intense? Naming what you feel helps your body release tension instead of holding it.

Why this all matters

Your nervous system shapes how you experience your day. When it’s regulated, your body feels more comfortable, your thoughts are clearer, and emotions flow more naturally. When it’s dysregulated, small stressors feel huge, you lose perspective, and it becomes harder to access the calm and clarity you know you’re capable of. Checking in with yourself, even for a few minutes, helps you return to your inner calm. Over time, these simple moments of awareness build resilience, expand your nervous system capacity, and make it easier to return to balance when life gets overwhelming.