Feeling overwhelmed? This week, we’re diving into three simple yet powerful strategies to help you calm a chaotic nervous system and find more peace in your daily life.
1. Declutter Your Physical Space:
We often think of stress as purely mental or emotional, but our physical surroundings have a profound impact on our nervous system. Our brains are constantly processing visual information, and a cluttered environment can trigger a low-grade stress response, keeping your nervous system on high alert.
Decluttering helps reduce visual noise. A clean and organized space minimizes the amount of information your brain has to process, allowing it to relax and focus more effectively. Think of it as reducing the “static” that can interfere with clear mental signals.
Actionable steps:
- Start small: Focus on one drawer, shelf, or corner.
- The “one-minute rule”: If it takes less than a minute to put away, do it immediately.
- Create designated homes for frequently used items.
2. Reclaim Your Time:
Feeling rushed and having a lack of control over our time is a significant stressor on the nervous system. Chronic time pressure keeps us in a state of low-grade anxiety.
Putting into place time-management strategies can allow us to harness the energy and focus we have availalble, and put it to best use towards the activities and tasks that are the most supportive and sustaining.
Actionable steps:
- Identify time-draining activities and consider reducing or eliminating them.
- Learn to say “no” to commitments that don’t align with your priorities or well-being.
- Practice mindful scheduling, allowing for breaks and downtime.
3. Receive Some Bodywork:
Chiropractic and bodywork directly impact the nervous system. Adjustments, massage, and other manual therapies can help to release tension, improve circulation, and promote a shift from the sympathetic to the parasympathetic nervous system (our “rest and digest” response).
Some immediate and cumulative benefits of bodywork for nervous system regulation include:
- Reduced pain
- Improved sleep
- Decreased stress
- Enhanced overall well-being
