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Have you ever felt like you're constantly on edge, and your body can't switch off from stress mode? That's your sympathetic nervous system working overtime.

This reaction to stress is incredibly useful because it signals your body to react quickly in a crisis. But when it stays active for too long, it can leave you feeling drained, anxious, and even physically unwell.

On the bright side, you don't have to stay stuck in this fight-or-flight mode. There are different techniques you can try to balance your autonomic nervous system.

As such, below you'll discover more about your autonomic nervous system and some useful tips on how to reset sympathetic nervous system activity to enjoy a well-deserved break!

Key Takeaways

• The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems must be balanced for optimal health, as dominance of the sympathetic system can lead to stress-related health issues.

• Techniques such as deep breathing, physical activity, mindfulness and meditation, cold exposure, and laughter yoga can help reset the sympathetic nervous system and promote relaxation.

• Neurofeedback training (which is like a workout for the brain) helps you see how your brain is working in real time, so you can learn to calm it down when you get too stressed.

• The best results come when you integrate nervous system regulation techniques into your daily life, whether it’s through movement, journaling, or even spending time in nature.

Understanding the Nervous System

The nervous system is our body’s command center, transmitting signals from the brain to the body and coordinating actions and responses. It consists of the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is part of the central nervous system and plays a key role in involuntary functions.

The ANS, in turn, includes the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, which work together to maintain nervous system balance.

When these two systems are in harmony, our body’s responses to stress and relaxation are well-regulated. However, sometimes the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) becomes overactive. This can lead to a dysregulated nervous system because the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) can't take over. Over time, it affects our mental and physical health.

The Role of Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous Systems

The sympathetic nervous system is the body’s alarm system. When we're in the face of danger, we enter the fight-or-flight mode, which is controlled by the SNS. This triggers the release of neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and adrenaline. These, in turn, increase heart rate and blood flow to essential areas, as well as sharpen important senses like hearing and vision. This fight-or-flight response prepares us to think and act quickly when we feel threatened. Therefore, it's extremely important and useful—that is, when it's activated appropriately.

After the stressful event has passed, it is time for the parasympathetic nervous system to take over and help the body enter the rest-and-digest state. In other words, the PSNS is responsible for calming us down and guiding us back towards the pre-arousal state of relaxation. It helps us recover and lowers our heart rate.

Signs of Sympathetic Nervous System Overload

Sometimes, however, the PSNS cannot take over, and we remain stuck in that fight-or-flight mode. This is when we may experience nervous system dysregulation.

Sympathetic nervous system overload can manifest through:

• Digestive issues

• Chronic anxiety

• Depression

• Fatigue

• Mental fog

• Cardiovascular issues like high blood pressure and increased heart rate

While some people may require professional help to support their nervous system's health, sometimes it is possible to reset the sympathetic nervous system and allow the PSNS to take over. This can be achieved through different exercises, which we'll discuss in the following section.

How to Calm Down an Overactive Sympathetic Nervous System

Resetting your nervous system can do wonders for your mood, digestion, and overall health. When your body spends too much time in the "fight-or-flight" mode, it can leave you feeling anxious, tense, and even physically unwell.

But there are simple, effective ways to bring things back into balance. Deep breathing, movement, and mindfulness practices—all of these can help you calm down your nervous system, lower your stress hormones, and promote a sense of relaxation. The key is to find what works for you and make it part of your daily routine.

1. Breathing Exercises

According to scientists Valentin Magnon, Frederic Dutheil, and Guillaume T. Vallet, "[b]reathing exercises seem to reduce anxiety and to increase parasympathetic activity." In their study, the authors concluded that deep and slow breathing can be beneficial to restore vagal outflow, especially in older adults.

Similarly, Teruhisa Komori from the Department of Stress and Health Science of a university in Japan has also confirmed that "[d]uring prolonged expiratory breathing, the parasympathetic nervous function [is] significantly activated. Conversely, during rapid breathing, parasympathetic nervous function was significantly suppressed."

Therefore, if you're struggling with SNS overload, try incorporating some breathing exercises into your routine. You may not feel any significant benefits at first, but doing them every time you feel stressed or nervous can really help long term.

As such, here are some exercises you can try:

• Box breathing (4-4-4-4 breathing): inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, exhale slowly through your mouth for 4 seconds, and hold your breath again for 4 seconds.

• 4-7-8 breathing: inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds.

• Diaphragmatic or belly breathing: place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly and inhale deeply through your nose, feeling how your belly expands while the chest remains still; exhale through your mouth, feeling your belly contract.

• Alternate nostril breathing: close your right nostril with your thumb and inhale through the left nostril; close your left nostril with your thumb and exhale through the right one, then switch.

• Humming bee breath: inhale through your nose; while you exhale, hum softly like a bee and feel the vibration it causes

Remember that you have to repeat these exercises for several cycles/minutes to notice improvements.

2. Physical Activity

Engaging in regular physical activity is another effective way to reset the sympathetic nervous system. According to Harvard Health Publishing, "[t]he mental benefits of aerobic exercise have a neurochemical basis. Exercise reduces levels of the body's stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. It also stimulates the production of endorphins." Therefore, exercising regularly can be an excellent addition to your routine to reset sympathetic activity and regulate your nervous system.

Plus, SNS overload can also cause physical fatigue, muscle tension, and cardiovascular problems—all of which can be managed through physical exercise.

3. Mindfulness and Meditation

The University of Utah Health Academic Medical Center states that mindfulness and meditation can help us turn off the SNS and turn on the PSNS. The heart rate drops, the blood pressure falls, and the breathing slows down.

The greatest thing about mindfulness and meditation is that there are plenty of techniques you can choose from. Let's face it—not everyone enjoys these practices at first, so it can be quite difficult to start. But given that there are a lot of methods that have proven useful, you can try different ones until you find something that works for you.

For example, you can start with simple exercises to encourage present-moment awareness and acceptance. When you're brushing your teeth, don't let your mind wander. Stay there, focus on your surroundings, and enjoy the present moment. You can do this with different activities that otherwise are done on autopilot mode. Over time, you can switch to more complex practices.

4. Cold Water Therapy

In recent years, cold water therapy has become incredibly popular for its potential to stabilize autonomic nervous system activity (and not only!). It has been suggested that cold therapy can also stimulate the vagus nerve, which plays an important role in parasympathetic activity.

You can start cold water therapy by simply taking colder showers or just finishing your shower with a few seconds spent under cold water. Then, if you notice any benefits, you can try swimming in cold water or cold plunging. However, it is recommended to talk to your doctor before starting cold water therapy, as it may be contraindicated to people with cardiovascular issues or other medical conditions.

5. Laughter Yoga

Laughter yoga—quite the combination, right? Sounds like fun!

This is a yoga practice developed by Indian physician Dr. Madan Kataria. It is currently practiced in more than 110 countries. Basically, laughter yoga is a combination of yoga breath work, mindfulness meditation, and laughter! This method has been praised for reducing depressive symptoms, improving life satisfaction and mood, reducing loneliness, and even helping with physical functions like blood pressure and cortisol levels.

While this is a relatively new technique compared to other practices, it is certainly worth trying in your journey to resetting the sympathetic nervous system!

6. Earthing

Research shows that making direct physical contact with the surface of the earth—a technique called grounding or earthing—can reduce inflammation and improve immune responses. Another study outlines that it can also improve our mood. This is because we connect to the electrical charges from the earth. While more studies are required to understand how exactly it works and what benefits it could yield, it is definitely worth trying!

So, you can spend approximately 30 minutes a day with your bare feet on natural ground to practice earthing. Go for a walk on a beach if there is one nearby, or in the forest, for example. Just be careful to avoid stepping on something that may harm you.

7. Somatic Movements and Body Shaking

Somatic movements focus on the mind-body connection, helping us release tension and promote relaxation. Practices like tai chi, yoga, pilates, dancing, stretching, and even humming and chanting can regulate your nervous system activity.

Body shaking is another excellent method that helps release muscular tension and calm the nervous system by activating the parasympathetic system and burning excess adrenaline.

8. Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback is a biofeedback technique that helps control brain functions by monitoring real-time brain activity. Essentially, this method can increase your self-awareness regarding your reaction to stress and guide you through changing it for the better through immediate feedback on brain activity.

For example, if you want to decrease sympathetic activity, you may have to decrease nervousness levels, at the same time improving your stress resilience and emotion regulation skills. Neurofeedback works like a mirror for your brain—it shows you when you're feeling nervous, stressed, or losing focus. During a session, you get instant signals that help you notice what’s happening in your mind. With practice, you learn how to shift into a more relaxed state. Over time, your brain gets better at doing this on its own, just like how your muscles get stronger when you exercise regularly. It takes time, but it can really help!

If you do not have a mental health condition, you can try neurofeedback at home using the Mendi device. It stands out on the market because it targets the prefrontal cortex specifically, while other consumer-grade neurofeedback devices do not target a particular brain area. The prefrontal cortex plays a crucial role in regulating autonomic nervous system activity. Strengthening your prefrontal cortex can improve your stress response, suppress overactivation of the amygdala (which triggers the fight-or-flight response), improve your emotion regulation skills, and enhance other abilities this brain region is responsible for.

If you want to learn more about how neurofeedback works or the Mendi device, you can check out comprehensive guides on these topics.

9. Other Methods You Can Try

If the methods mentioned above didn't work for you, here's what else you can try:

• Chew on ice.

• Practice tapping techniques.

• Spend time with your pet.

• Try progressive muscle relaxation.

• Give yourself a massage.

• Talk to someone (this is actually a form of co-regulation where people help each other balance their nervous systems through sharing their experiences).

• Get enough quality sleep.

• Eat healthily, avoiding junk food.

• Start journaling.

If you cannot manage your nervous system dysregulation by yourself, you should talk to a therapist. You may have a mental health condition, like an anxiety disorder, which may require therapy or medication, depending on your doctor's recommendations. They can also provide you with healthy coping mechanisms and teach you how to give your sympathetic nervous system a break.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I stuck in the sympathetic nervous system?

Chronic stress, burnout, anxiety, and other mental health conditions can cause you to remain stuck in the sympathetic nervous system.

How does deep breathing help reset the sympathetic nervous system?

Deep breathing effectively resets the sympathetic nervous system by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation and reduces stress levels. This shift helps restore balance and calmness in the body.

What happens when your body is in constant fight or flight mode?

When your body is in constant fight or flight mode, you may experience cognitive issues like problems with memory and focus, brain fog, high blood pressure, weight gain, muscle tension, sleep issues, and digestive problems.

What is neurofeedback, and how does it help?

Neurofeedback is a biofeedback technique that provides real-time monitoring of brain activity, enabling individuals to regulate their nervous system and enhance cognitive function through immediate feedback.