5 Rituals to Reset Your Nervous System

Who hasn’t experienced stress, anxiety, low mood, or that ongoing mental “chatter” that never quite goes away?  Or maybe you have a list-of- lists in your head, poor quality sleep, hormone imbalance?

We’ve experienced it, read about it, and probably done many things to counteract that imbalance in our nervous system.  Today (and in the coming week) get back on track by gently and compassionately re-setting your nervous system, and remember what it’s like to live more peacefully.

Did you know?  We can normalise stress too…not realising that we are stuck in a heightened state,  with low-grade anxiety or a sense of rushing, those uncomfortable physical sensations (and associated mental agitation) become our daily companions.

These 5 rituals (exercises) really DO work.  These are not only tried and tested, but all are rooted in traditional Yoga.  I used all these (and more) during my years of suffering with severe ME/CFS (Chronic Fatigue syndrome).  So I know first hand how quickly they can reduce the symptoms of an over-active nervous system.

In a Nutshell:-

1. Move, stretch, shake out…remember you’re a mammal! Release physical tension quickly.
2. Eye Yoga – to support physical and emotional balance
3. Vagus Nerve reset – Ready to yawn? A simple, yet powerful stress release practice.
4. Humming – stimulates the vestibular system, soothing and acts as an inner massage.
5. Yoga Nidra – yogic sleep. A guided meditation where we hover between the conscious and dream state.  Deeply restful.

1. Move, stretch, shake out…So often people think of resetting the nervous system by first calming the body and the mind – all helpful, but often what we need first is to remember that we are mammals; after a stressful event or being chased by a predator, mammals will lie down and shake…releasing not only physical tension but cortisol and adrenaline from the body.
   1. Start by shaking out your hands, wrists, arms. Open and close your hands, circle the wrists, roll the shoulders.
   2. One leg at a time, shake out a foot, circle the ankle, shake the leg (hold onto a wall for balance if needed). Repeat on the other leg.
   3. Stand with your legs wide and gently swing from side to side in a twisting motion (if you’ve ever done Tai Chi or Qi Gung, it’s a full body swing) – this releases tension and increase fluidity in your spine.
   4. Gently turn your head from side to side, and up and down.
   5. Finally, just shake, move, twist, bend, softly bounce, stretch in any way that feels intuitive!

2. Eye Yoga – Eye Movement to reset Vagal Tone – there are simple yet effective practices that help activate the vagus nerve, ease eye strain, and support emotional balance. Whether you’re spending long hours at a screen or navigating the emotional stress of daily life, eye yoga offers a gentle, non-invasive way to boost your overall well-being. Eye yoga can also help to retrain your brain’s response to stress and anxiety via connection between the eye nerves and 10^th cranial nerve.

          a) Sit comfortably, look straight ahead, and keep your head still.

          b) Slowly shift your eyes from left to right – keeping your head still.

          c)You can also use your finger as a guide, moving it from left to right, focusing on the tip of your finger.

         d)Repeat for 1 -2 minutes.

         e) You can also look down towards the tip of your nose, then up to the centre of your forehead.

3. Vagus Nerve Reset – A Variation on #2 used for trauma release (but also for general stress, tension and emotional release). Lying down, interlace your fingers behind your head, with the elbows just in your sight line/peripheral vision.  Keep your elbows in this position, and your head still.  As for number 2, very slowly move your eyes to the left and right, looking towards the elbow.  Ensure your keep your head still.  Continue for 1 – 2 minutes, relax for a minute or so, then repeat.  You may find yourself yawning, the jaw releasing or sighing (it’s fine if you don’t, release will still be happening).

4. Humming for Health (and a reset!) I have been teaching people to hum for 25 plus years.  But in a specific way…Instead of humming a tune, we change the shape of the mouth by gently pursing the lips (imagine kissing your finger).  This creates a “cave” shape in the mouth, pushing the humming sound and vibration up to the roof of the mouth, and from there up into the brain, pituitary, pineal and hypothalamus glands. This style of humming (developed by Dr Alfred Tomatis) stimulates the vagus nerve (10^th Cranial nerve) via the inner ear.  It is calming, soothing and acts like an inner massage.

5. Yoga Nidra – translated as Yogic Sleep, it is a guided relaxation practice often shared in restorative yoga classes and as a stand-alone experience. During the practice we hover between the conscious and dream states. Traditionally Nidra has 8 stages although often only 3 or 4 are used.  Soothing for the mind and body, 30 minutes of Yoga Nidra is said to equate to 3-4 hours of sleep!  Here’s a link to a 20-minute Nidra to rest deeply and reset your nervous system.  YOGA NIDRA RECORDING

There’s a Part Two coming on Resetting Your Nervous System – check back in soon.