Learning to Self-Soothe: 5 Tools to Calm the Nervous System
Do you ever feel like you’re on edge or that you can’t calm down? Maybe certain things trigger those feelings, or maybe you just have a hard time soothing yourself in stressful situations.
When the body is in a state of stress, you’re likely to experience a variety of negative symptoms. That includes everything from rapid breathing and sweating to trembling, muscle tension, and digestive issues.
A stressed-out nervous system can also contribute to the increased likelihood of mental health issues like anxiety or depression.
Thankfully, it’s possible to self-soothe. Let’s cover a few tools you can use to calm the nervous system and restore a sense of peace, even in the midst of a stressful world.
1. Practice Deep Breathing
Have you ever noticed that taking a deep breath can help, even for just a second, when you’re feeling overwhelmed?
By taking things one step further and practicing deep breathing exercises, you can soothe away stress in a matter of minutes. Deep breathing naturally slows the heart rate and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls your body’s ability to relax and conserve energy.
2. Sensory Activities
Consider engaging in calming activities that appeal to your body’s senses. Sit down with a weighted blanket. Take a warm shower. Listen to relaxing music. These self-soothing techniques provide a sense of comfort and familiarity that can help you feel calm quickly.
3. Get Moving
Exercise is great for boosting your mood, but if you’re already feeling overstimulated, you might not want to go for a run. Instead, practice mindful movement. Go for a walk or try 30 minutes of yoga.
These gentle, mindful movements will give you the serotonin boost that comes with regular exercise, but they’ll also promote relaxation.
If you’re in public or don’t have time for any kind of workout, consider some ‘micro-movements’ to help soothe your nervous system. Things like finger tapping or even engaging in a gentle self-hug can be quick ways to feel less stressed.
4. Stay Grounded
It’s not uncommon for stress and anxiety to flare up when we focus on things from the past we want to change or things in the future that we’re worried about. Those things are likely out of your control, but it doesn’t stop you from dwelling on them and getting overwhelmed.
One of the best ways to combat this issue is to use grounding techniques, like mindfulness or meditation. Grounding techniques help to engage the senses, allowing you to stay focused on the present rather than letting your thoughts wander. When you bring the mind and body back to the here and now, you’re likely to feel less overwhelmed because you’re not focusing on the “what ifs” behind you or ahead of you.
5. Relaxing Different Muscle Groups
It can take some practice, but progressive muscle relaxation is a great way to calm the nervous system. By tensing and relaxing different muscle groups, you’ll train yourself to become more aware of what physical tension feels like.
This will help you recognize when your muscles are tense from stress so you can use the techniques you’ve been practicing to relax them.
Self-soothing is important to keep you from getting overstimulated and overwhelmed in stressful situations. However, if you’re still struggling to find any peace, you might want to consider reaching out for help.
Anxiety therapy can help you better understand the source of your stress. Getting to the root is often the best way to deal with the problem while learning even more self-soothing skills along the way. If you’re ready to take that step, contact me today to set up a consultation.
