6 Things I Do Everyday To Regulate My Nervous System
The world is freakin’ wild—it is filled with humans who are obsessed with chaos. Everywhere you look, everywhere you go, there will definitely be 100 things that will spin your nervous system out of control. There is no escaping it. The only thing you can do is build some tools to help you regulate each day. Here are my top 6 coping mechanisms.
Stop the doom scrolling
The struggle is real—I mean what else am I supposed to do while I am trying to disassociate from my day? I miss the days before everyone had a smartphone. I know, I am aging myself. I’m an 80s baby and times were simpler before we had the entire world’s problems in the palm of our hands.
I often find myself in the spiral—laying down on the couch for a “quick little rest” and then, bam, all of the sudden I just lost 2 hours of my precious life rotating between TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, Reddit, Amazon, and all of the other apps on my phone (even Credit Karma, my God, I can’t stop).
I recall the early days of Facebook, circa 2008, when I would actually scroll to the end of new updates from my group of 22 friends. It was nice, the scrolling stopped—there was an end. Today there is no end of the feed and we need to find ways to break free from it.
One day, while scrolling TikTok shop, I came across Brick—a device that temporarily blocks certain apps and notifications on your phone. I thought to myself, “who actually has that bad of a phone addiction that they need to buy this thing?” Then, I bought it. I highly recommend it.
Do something creative
I am a creative person, I’m actually a Creative Director in corporate America. But many of my days don’t really involve actually creating anything except stress and anxiety inside my internal ecosystem. When I am feeling overwhelmed one of the best ways for me to calm down is to actually make something. We are put on this planet to make. Creating is our purpose. Each day I take a bit of time to express my creative side—it could be photographing a floral arrangement, designing a fun logo just because, building a mood board for a room I want to refresh, or sketching floor plans of my dream cabin.
Getting that bit of creation time really helps me reset.
Walk away
Yeah, that is it. If I am in a situation with people or circumstances that are too much for my nervous system, I walk away. You never need to stay in a situation where you feel trapped, you will boil over, you will freeze, you will combust. Walk away.
I am an introvert who “masks” as an extrovert. Being around people for too long, drains my energy because masking “to hang” is exhausting—it’s not personal, it’s me. I have several energy depleting conditions and I am incapable of recharging without some alone time.
Every day, I try to find one hour for myself and if it’s hard to come by, I just make it happen by doing an Irish goodbye.
I don’t drink alcohol
I’ve been alcohol-free since October 2024 and I’ve never felt more stable—mentally, physically, or emotionally. Protecting my nervous system and the progress I’ve made matters too much to me to ever put poison back into my body. Plus, alcohol severely dehydrates you and hydration is key to system regulation.
I give energy
You probably think that sounds counterintuitive to protecting my own energy and nervous system. But, for me—extending my optimism to others daily is a fantastic source of dopamine and that drip keeps me energized. It’s as simple as smiling at a stranger (not in a creepy way), offering someone a quick, simple escape from negativity or giving them a sincere compliment. When I choose to show up for others with positivity and joy, I restore momentum within myself.
Treating my senses
Every day, I try to work in small, feel-good sensory or physical things that help me calm down—to get scientific, it’s called somatic-self care. For me, it can start by getting outside—nature is full of soothing mechanisms. When I can, a hike in the mountains does wonders. Other times, back in the Midwest, it’s as simple as sitting in the sun and feeling the warmth on my skin while listening to music or flowing water. Even the tiniest things like noticing my own breath, petting my dog or putting ice on my neck helps my nervous system remembers how to settle.
