Let your nervous system breathe
“Life running through a leaf, kind of like it runs through us” - Photo captured by me in a small village in Greece
Our nervous system is the control centre for how we react and interact with the world around us. It’s responsible for alertness, rest, stress, recovery, and every signal the body sends to keep us safe or focused depending on the external environment.
It’s constantly working to find the right balance between two states: “activate” and “relax.” It does this through two branches of the autonomic nervous system: the sympathetic, which helps us take action and respond to challenges, and the parasympathetic, which supports rest, and recovery.
Both branches are active throughout the day, as we are meant to transition from one to the other, and we’re not meant to stay in one or the other. However, when stress builds up or becomes constant, our system can get stuck in a state of high alert, and it becomes a lot harder for the body to return to a calm, regulated state even when the stress has passed.
Now, a valid point is, “I work well in activation, why change it?” Sure, but what happens when we can’t switch it off?
Activation isn’t the enemy. We need sympathetic arousal to operate, meet deadlines, train hard, perform under pressure. It sharpens attention, mobilises energy, and prepares us to respond.
It becomes an issue when we get stuck there. When the system doesn’t know how, or isn’t given the chance to switch off, and activation becomes the default. That’s when we talk about dysregulation.
Over time, staying in that state can lead to:
Sleep issues, chronic fatigue, impaired immune function, irritability, emotional reactivity, numbness, decreased focus, burnout and the list goes on.
And it is a double-edged sword, because being stuck in that state can feel productive, fulfilling, like always winning, performing and it is a continous high but it is very taxing to the body if it rarely gets to soften. Usually, we don’t realise what is happening until we have overburdened our nervous system enough to see the first signs in our bodies.
So, how can we support the body to downregulate?
There is a hack.
The state of our nervous system shows up in our breath, and we can influence it by changing the way we breathe. The breath is both involuntary and voluntary. We breathe automatically, without thinking and we can also consciously control it. When we do the nervous system responds.
Here’s the pattern:
Fast, shallow breathing signals activation/ stress and the sympathetic branch dominates. The heart rate increases and muscles tighten. The body prepares to deal with a threat even if the “threat” is just a busy inbox. And yes, sometimes, despite all the filters, we open our laptops first thing in the morning to find 500 emails waiting, which alone can tip us into activation.
Slow, deep, soft breathing signals safety and the parasympathetic branch comes into play. The heart rate reduces, muscle tension dissolves, and the system comes back to balance. This is the body’s built-in way of recalibrating.
The following practice helps train the nervous system to regulate. You can use it before a meeting, between emails, on the train, or while you are waiting for the kettle to boil the water for your afternoon tea. It’s especially useful when the heart is racing, when you feel scattered, or when you’re simply not thinking clearly.
Take a normal breath in and out through the nose
Hold your breath for 5 seconds
Breathe normally through the nose for 10 seconds
Repeat: take another normal breath in and out
Hold for 5 seconds
Breathe normally through the nose for 10 seconds
Continue this sequence for 2 and a half minutes
If 5 seconds feels like a lot, try 3
