5 Ways to Calm Your Nervous System for Anxiety that are Free

Incorporating self-care practices that calm your nervous system into your daily routine will help you heal and find the balance between your mind and body.

Self-care practices are a great alternative to therapy when you can’t afford therapy yet, or feel you’re not quite ready for the time and commitment it takes to fully heal your chronic symptoms. It’s also a great way to stay motivated to continue our efforts outside of therapy.

Self-care doesn’t need to be costly. Free self-care methods and techniques that help calm your system can make the largest impact in healing, at least in your day-to-day.

But, what type of self-care practices do you need to do? How often should you practice self-care? How does self-care help calm your nervous system? 

What is Self-Care and How Does it Help You Heal?

To put it simply, self-care is essentially spending time to do things that will help improve your physical and mental health. In general, self-care helps you manage stress, lower your risk of illness, and increase your energy. Self-care focuses on maintaining a healthy relationship with ourselves.

When you regularly practice self-care, you learn to recognize the symptoms and signs of becoming over-stressed. For our purpose, the goal of our self-care practices is to calm our nervous system and to help us escape from the fight-flight-freeze response.

By assisting you in regulating your nervous system, you can learn to manage your anxiety, depression, and other chronic symptoms. 

If your symptoms persist or go beyond the occasional dysregulated nervous system, self-care is a tool that can help manage your system in addition to doing the work to get down to the core cause.

5 Ways to Calm Your Nervous System and Promote Self-Care

Calming your nervous system and self-care go hand in hand. By calming your nervous system, you’re practicing self-care as you improve your overall mental and physical well-being. Self-care promotes a healthy nervous system by allowing you to de-stress and reduce your anxiety.

When calming your nervous system, you’re both practicing self-care and healing your mind and body. Although there are many ways and methods of regulating your nervous system, there are five that you can do almost anywhere and for free!

#1. Grounding Outside

One powerful way to calm your nervous system is by grounding yourself outside. Connecting with nature can have a grounding effect on our bodies and our minds.

Take off your shoes and let your feet connect with the earth. You can choose to take a walk outside or simply lay on the ground and focus on taking deep breaths and allowing yourself to be fully present in the moment. This practice can help you feel more centered and ‘grounded’ and reduce feelings of anxiety and stress. 

Grounding into the earth is one of the four somatic therapy practices that can you regulate your nervous system in flight response.

#2. Conversation

Sharing a soulful conversation with someone you trust is another effective way to calm your nervous system. Find a person who will listen without judgment and who will fully accept what you have to say to speak to.

This type of conversation can provide a safe space for you to express your thoughts, emotions, and concerns. By sharing your feelings with someone who truly understands and supports you, you can release pent-up tension and experience a sense of relief and connection.

#3. Meditation

Meditation has long been recognized and known for its calming effects on the mind and body. By practicing meditation, you can quiet your thoughts and bring your attention to the present moment.

One specific meditation technique that can help you calm your nervous system is progressive muscle relaxation. This involves systematically tensing and relaxing different muscle groups, promoting physical and mental relaxation. 

Regular meditation practice can reduce stress, improve sleep, and relieve anxiety. Download my free wellness training to receive a free meditation to understand how to regulate your nervous system through a holistic mind and body framework. -> Download your free guide here!

#4. Move Your Body

One of the best ways to improve your well-being is by moving your body! Find activities that bring you joy and make you feel good. 

You can try dancing, practicing yoga, going for walks, or even running. The important thing is to choose activities that make you smile and bring happiness to your life. 

Yoga and psychotherapy blend beautifully together, and if moving your body is something that brings you joy, yoga therapy may be exactly what you need to calm your nervous system and connect deeper with the body.

#5. Activate the Vagus Nerve

The vagus nerve is the main verve of your parasympathetic nervous system. It controls specific body functions that are involuntary and by activating the vagus nerve, we tell it to send out signals telling our body to calm down from stress and anxiety.

To activate the vagus nerve and promote relaxation, try massaging your temples, earlobes, behind your ears, and then your neck and shoulders. You should also consider incorporating lymphatic massage techniques for your face as a bonus.

By engaging in these practices, you can enhance the simulation of your vagus nerve, experience benefits for your entire well-being, and effectively calm your nervous system.

What it Means to Take Care of Your Nervous System

Taking care of your nervous system is essential for your overall health and well-being and self-care is just one method of doing so. Incorporating self-care practices into your daily routine will help reduce stress, promote relaxation, and restore balance in your mind and body. 

Whether it’s grounding outside, engaging in meaningful conversations, practicing meditation, moving your body, or activating the vagus nerve, finding what works best for you is key. Make self-care a priority and watch as your nervous system becomes calmer and more resilient. You deserve to feel calm and at peace in your own body and mind.

That’s what it means to take care of your nervous system, to keep it regulated, and to be aware of how your body is reacting in situations - and when its reaction isn’t aligned with the actions in front of you. Your nervous system does so much more than basic bodily function and dysregulation can impact your entire body.

You want to take preventative measures to prepare for high-stress situations that can send your system into dysregulation and equip yourself with tools that help you center your mind and re-regulate.

How Often Should You Practice Self-Care?

You should be practicing self-care every day, throughout the day. While you should plan self-care, like having a daily meditation in the morning or evening or journaling, you should practice self-care as needed. 

While some days may only require a little self-care in the morning to make it through the day, you may need to do more on high-stress days or days where you just don’t feel like yourself. There is no limit on how much you can practice self-care, especially when it comes to calming yourself and your nervous system.

Learn how you can give yourself a nervous system reset and manage your stress with my course designed to help you find freedom from your physical and emotional pain by learning how to regulate your nervous system. Check out the Nervous System Reset Course here!