Nervous System Burn Out [8 Tools to Reset]

Well, well, well. Do you feel burnt out too? Yeah, welcome to your nervous system. 

In todays day *notifications, social media, stress + lifestyle* we are challenged with so much. It’s no wonder that we are constantly be taught how to slow down or how to feel happier. 

A dysregulated nervous system looks like: 

• You’re constantly on edge and overwhelmed 
• You’re snappy, irritable + reactive [ooops] 
• You experience chronic illness and pain 
• You’re highly sensitive to stimuli 
• Sleeping is challenging as well as daytime fatigue 
• Skin and gut conditions 

If that's not relatable, I don't know what is. This dysregulation can be caused by chronic stress, past traumas, poor lifestyle habits + underlying health conditions.  

Note, I've been struggling a lot with underlying health conditions so working with a naturopath or gastroenterologist to administer proper testing is very helpful. I will be expanding on this on our next posts hehe...

Back to our nervous system: being mindful of how we're feeling, unlocks our ability to achieve, succeed but most of all, feel happier. 

Stress reduction is the goal but it can feel impossible when your plate is full. We can encourage presence and self-regulation with these techniques so you can manage your stress and not overload your nervous system in a constant state of flight or fight.

Here are a few tools I've used [scientifically proven] to take your mood, digestion, thoughts + life back into your hands: 

1. Open with Meditation

Meditation brings awareness to our experience, teaches us to let go of thoughts, emotions or situations that are stressing us out, and physically relaxes both body and mind. 

I personally loooove the Open App. It’s not cheesy and it works. I’ll start my morning with their 10-minute daily meditation or if I’m needing a deeper reset, one of their breath work classes. This way I start the day with intention, rather than rush and anxiety. 

On the days I can’t make it in the morning, I try to play it while driving as it has great talking points to reflect on. You can try it for 30 days free, they want me to share it with 10-minute you + I literally tell all my friends about it lol. 

2. Herbal Medicine

SIBO, candida, mold, leaky gut...If those things have been on your radar lately, we need to introduce you to Todd Mansfield, a clinical herbalist dedicated to digestive health. I've personally been using Horipito + Galanga tinctures per his recommendation to help fight my candida + mold overgrowth. 

Four herbs to add into your routine for a more regulated nervous system include: Passionflower, Kava, Chamomile + Motherwort.

You can check him out here.

3. Move Your Body 

When I feel more anxious or stuck, I feel it in my body…or I am so disassociated I have to TRY to feel it in my body. Either way, trauma has to be felt, not just heard. 

So moving your body as a way to release trauma, expand your energy and ground your body is an absolute need.

Shaking, tapping, hopping, swinging + opening are all great ways to release stuck energy. 

Weight training is not as relaxing, but it can be a great way to connect with your power and strength. Regular exercise a will boost your dopamine + serotonin levels, lower blood pressure + empower you to feel connected to your body. 

4. Food 

Registered Dietician Patricia Bannan doesn’t recc a complete diet overhaul, instead urges a focus on balance. Balance is something I like to talk about in my Body Type Programs.

I don't like a strict macro diet - this is why I encourage carb cycling to adjust to what your body feels like. I suggest hitting your protein needs, increasing vegetables + healthy fats. Then we can be intuitive about our current lifestyle [sleep, gut health, adding whole foods, ensuring micronutrients, etc.]

If you’re someone with underlying health conditions such as candida, SIBO, IBS, or a leaky gut, consider adding herbal remedies as an anti-fungal, reducing sugar to stop feeding the yeast/bad bacteria + eating a low FODMAP diet until your inflammation settles down. 

5. Sunlight + Electrolytes

Prioritizing sunlight exposure upon waking is important to our mental + physical health because not only does it positively affect key regions of the brain, but it also helps us to regulate our circadian rhythm, absorb Vitamin D naturally, improve mood regulation + reduce inflammation.

That is why within the first hour that Buster + I roll out of bed, I am taking in the sun while sipping on LMNT which is pumped full of electrolytes to maximize my nerve transmission, muscle contraction + energy conservation for the day.

6. Ain't No Mountain High Enough 

Ahhh, mountains, rivers, beaches…We miss them more and more as our society has become more screen timed and urbanized. With stress at an all time high, we have a need for our body to connect with nature. 

Research has proven that people who spent two hours a week in green spaces “were substantially more likely to report good health and psychological well-being than those who don’t.”

Push yourself to get out for a hike, picnic, walk bare foot on the sand, or just get some more plants in the house. Using nature to ground + expand you is an easy, effective tool to manage your stress. 

7. Close with Gratitude 

“When we practice feeling and sustaining elevated emotions, we can teach our body to heal itself - with its own inner pharmacy of chemicals.” - Joe Dispenza

When you open your heart, others do too. It’s not about how you look, it’s about your energy. Try this because it unlocks new levels of love, healing + connection within yourself and others.

A great exercise at night is to audit your day and find for 2 minutes all of the things you are grateful for in that day… yes, if you don’t do it daily that is okay, but it can be a tool to help you feel happier, more whole and less inflamed. 

8. Sleep

Yeah…big fan of this one. Sleep is critical to the recovery and recharging of our minds + bodies because it allows our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems to rest + cortisol levels to drop. Not getting enough sleep [7 - 9 hours per night] can slash your concentration, energy levels + mood. This is why it’s important to be mindful of your screen time, racing thoughts and stimulus you’re ingesting. 

If you’re like me, watching reels until 11 PM only keeps you up for longer. I try to reduce screen time once I’ve finished work, or add in some stretching if I choose to watch something. To help relax your body, reaching for a quality magnesium supplement can dramatically change your anxiety. 

I love these two to help put me in a calm state and refill my levels of magnesium: OptiMag + RelaxMax.

We want to use these tools to promote a balanced lifestyle. I don’t want you placing shame on yourself whether you did them or not. 

However, sometimes we get to a point. Sick and tired of being sick and tired…

If you’re at that point, adopting new habits and creating new rituals around your sleep, food + mornings can really create a safe space for your body to be more connected to self. 

How to Optimize Your Body — HERE.

A guide to nutrition science and results. 

Workouts Made For You — HERE.

The app with effective programming to actually see results.

Questions? Shoot us a note here: info@momomuscle.co 

- MoMo 🖤

Sources: 

https://adapted-nutrition.com/blogs/news/replacing-electrolytes-how-it-can-jumpstart-your-morning-and-why-it-s-so-important

https://healyournervoussystem.com/top-10-signs-of-a-dysregulated-nervous-system/

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/get-happy-exercise-can-lift-mood-infographic

https://www.today.com/health/diet-fitness/14-foods-boost-mood-fight-burnout-according-rd-rcna30092

https://drjoedispenza.com/dr-joes-blog/the-transformational-power-of-gratitude

https://www.bettersleep.com/blog/what-does-your-nervous-system-do-while-you-sleep/