AUTHOR: 
AERYN O'HALLORAN

DATE: 
MAY 20, 2025


How to Reset Your Nervous System

How to Reset Your Nervous System

Let’s get this out of the way:

You can’t “reset” your nervous system.

It’s not a switch.
It’s not a reboot button.
It’s a living, adaptive system that learns from everything you’ve survived.

Every sensation, every symptom, every moment of shutdown or overstimulation is a reflection of what your body’s been through—and how it’s still trying to protect you.

So no, you don’t need a reset.
You need a recalibration.

Here’s how that works.

What is a dysregulated nervous system?

A dysregulated nervous system isn’t broken—it’s just stuck. It’s stuck in the survival patterns it had to develop to keep you alive: fight, flight, freeze, or shutdown.

You might be living with:

Constant anxiety, hypervigilance, or panic 
Deep fatigue, numbness, or detachment
Overreactions to minor stressors or sensory input
Feeling “tired but wired” most of the time

It’s like your body has forgotten how to downshift. Or it slams the brakes without warning.

Many people walk around in this state for years, calling it a personality quirk or burnout.

But chronic nervous system dysregulation isn’t anyone's natural baseline. It’s your body asking for help.


Regulation ≠ calm

The internet is full of nervous system "reset" tips that tell you to “just meditate,” “just breathe,” or “calm down.”

Here’s why that's misguided (though well intended):
You can’t force a dysregulated system into calm.
You can’t override trauma responses with logic.
You can’t positive-affirmation your way out of a full-body survival state.

Why? Because your nervous system isn’t controlled by willpower—it’s governed by neuroception.
That’s the subconscious process your body uses to scan for danger (real or perceived) and decide, within milliseconds, whether to fight, flee, freeze, or shutdown.

And it makes that call before your thinking brain ever gets a say.

So if your system doesn’t feel safe, it won’t let you relax—no matter how hard you try. That’s not weakness. That’s biology.

Regulation isn’t about being calm.
It’s about being responsive.
It’s about restoring your system’s range so you can move through stress and come back to safety—without getting stuck or shutting down.


how to recalibrate your nervous system

Recalibration means honoring where your body is—and helping it find its way back to center, slowly and sustainably.
But before you jump into techniques, there’s one step most people skip—and it makes all the difference.

You have to map your patterns first.

Start by noticing:
What activates your system?
What soothes it—even slightly?
What state do you spend most of your time in: hyper-alert, shut down, or somewhere in between?

This kind of body-based tracking is what helps you work with your system instead of against it.

👉 If you need a place to start, grab my FREE resource: Reflect to Reconnect. This is a step-by-step guide for tracking your unique patterns.

Once you’ve mapped your baseline, you’re ready for the next step:




MOVEMENT

SENSORY MODULATION

GENTLE BREATHWORK

CO-REGULATION

TIME IN NATURE

functional fuel

When you’re stuck in survival mode, stillness can feel threatening. But too much movement—especially if it’s vigorous or high-intensity—can also be perceived as a threat by a sensitized system.

That’s why recalibration starts with gentle, rhythmic movement—to release activation without overwhelming your body.

Click here for 4 rhythmic movements you can try at home. 

movement

sensory modulation

Gentle Breathwork

TIME IN NATURE

CO-REGULATION

FUNCTIONAL FUEL

Speak the Body's Language

Your nervous system responds faster to sensation than thought.

Regulation tools:
Holding something cold or textured
Listening to soft music, nature sounds, or binaural beats
Smelling something grounding (like lavender or fresh rosemary)

This is especially powerful for people with trauma, chronic illness, or parasympathetic nervous system overstimulation—when the body is collapsed,.

MOVEMENT

SENSORY MODULATION

GENTLE BREATHWORK

TIME IN NATURE

CO-REGULATION

FUNCTIONAL FUEL

Breath can be regulating—but not always.

If you have trauma history, anxiety, or dysautonomia, breathwork can backfire if it’s forced.

Try instead:

Sighing 
Exhale-focused breathing (longer out-breaths than in-breaths)
Connecting to Breath

If it doesn’t feel good, skip it. Your cues are the compass.

MOVEMENT

SENSORY MODULATION

GENTLE BREATHWORK

CO-REGULATION

TIME IN NATURE

FUNCTIONAL FUEL

Healing doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens in safe connection.

Options:

Talking to someone who feels grounding
Being around animals
Even texting or voice notes with a trusted person

Your nervous system is wired for co-regulation—don’t underestimate the power of shared safety.

The key here is to notice when your system soothes in the presence of co-regulating resource.

HYDRATION

NUTRITION

SLEEP HYGIENE

MOVEMENT

TIME IN NATURE

FUNCTIONAL FUEL

Your nervous system is wired for natural rhythms—sunlight, birdsong, the feeling of your feet on the earth.

Time in nature is one of the most powerful ways to recalibrate a dysregulated system—especially when done consistently, without the pressure to do anything.
Try:

Laying in the grass or sitting under a tree
Watching leaves move or clouds shift
Touching bark, soil, or water with bare skin
Letting your body orient—simply notice your surroundings without a goal


Movement

sensory modulation

GENTLE BREATHWORK

CO-REGULATION

TIME IN NATURE

FUNCTIONAL FUEL

Your body can’t regulate if it’s starving.
Blood sugar crashes mimic panic. Nutrient gaps worsen inflammation. Skipping meals puts stress on the body, which is a no-no for someone with a sensitive stress response.

Support recalibration with:

Protein + fat + fiber at every meal
Eating within an hour of waking
Staying hydrated and mineralized

This is the foundation of overactive nervous system treatment most people miss.

Download my FREE resource: Macronutrients Master List for nutritional guidance!

Spoiler: it's not always exciting, and it doesn’t always feel good.

Sometimes healing feels like irritation, grief, or exhaustion rising to the surface.
Sometimes your body gets louder before it gets quieter.
Sometimes you feel like you’re going backwards.

But here’s what recalibration often looks like:

Noticing your stress response sooner
Recovering faster after a trigger
Tolerating rest without anxiety 
Feeling a flicker of aliveness after months of shutdown
Making choices that serve your future, not just your fear

That’s recalibration.
That’s the body learning a new rhythm.
That’s you coming home.




WHAT RECALIBRATION MIGHT LOOK LIKE FOR YOU

You don’t need a nervous system reset.
You need to remember that your body isn’t broken—it’s brilliant.
It’s just been stuck in survival for too long.

And now?
You’re giving it another option.




FINAL THOUGHTS

The Foundations Program is the ticket.

This program simplifies the process and covers everything you need: understanding your body, mastering the basics of nutrition, managing food reactions, and preparing your nervous system for deep healing. Plus, you’ll join a community of people who truly get what you’re going through and are focused on solutions, just like you.





READY TO GO FURTHER?

CLICK HERE TO JOIN →

" The fact that I saw change so quickly proves that the right help, the right first step, the right process makes all the difference..."

— KELLY M

— BRI L

— JAMIE R

— DANA D

— RUTH C

" I was able to accomplish all my errands and when I got home at the end of the day, I didn’t crash. That’s the first time that’s happened in years! "

"I have ups and downs in my life in general, but I am stronger now."

"I finally feel I understand exactly what I need to do to start healing my dysregulated nervous system"

"I'm back to my normal self but even better than before!"

Reflect & reconnect: healing dysfunction

regulate & rewire: sensory modulation

macronutrient
master list

10 energy boosting recipes

10 energy boosting recipes

top 5 daily wholistic practices

$0

$10

ADD TO CART   →

ADD TO CART   →

ADD TO CART   →

GET IT   →

GET IT   →

GET IT                 →

$0

$0

$5

$5

Low Histamine Version