Do you feel “wired but tired,” constantly on edge, jittery or twitchy, or physically exhausted yet unable to rest and keep ‘pushing through’? Or maybe you feel depleted and drained despite a good night’s sleep, find yourself crashing throughout the day, or experience a sudden surge of energy in the evening? These are all hallmark signs of a dysregulated nervous system and stress response—and modern clinical research shows us time and time again that these classic, yet debilitating symptoms, can be supported, balanced, and regulated through targeted natural and holistic practices.
Throughout my ten years plus in practice, I have successfully supported many clients on their journeys to nervous system regulation, stress response balance and burnout recovery. I’ve also written an eBook called “Beating Burnout” (which you can download at the bottom of this page) to help get you started on your journey.
In this comprehensive and practical guide I explore the science and research of nervous system regulation, show you how to identify a dysregulated stress response, and explore how to utilise simple holistic practices to build resilience, shift out of “survival mode”, and flow calmly into a state of safety and growth, rest and digest, and balance and regulation.
What is Nervous System Regulation?
Nervous system regulation is the ability of your Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) to navigate and shift between different states of arousal. According to the Polyvagal Theory, popularized by Dr. Stephen Porges, our nervous system very cleverly operates in a hierarchy of safety and threat detection.
- Ventral Vagal (Safety): The “Rest and Digest” state. Digestion is active, and you feel socially engaged.
- Sympathetic (Mobilisation): “Fight or Flight.” Adrenaline spikes to meet a perceived threat.
- Dorsal Vagal (Immobilisation): “Freeze or Shutdown.” The body “checks out” due to overwhelming stress.
Ideally, Ventral Vagal – our ‘rest and digest’ and ‘safety’ state – is where we want to be the majority of the time, where our multiple body systems are operating fluidly and optimally, and where we are able to navigate and shift between the different hierarchies with ease, flow, and flexibility. However, in our modern day world, faced with the enormous amount of pressures and stress we are burdened with, not to mention the ever growing amount of toxic substances and chemicals we are exposed to, it is becoming increasingly common to get ‘stuck’ in either ‘fight or flight’ or ‘freeze or shutdown’, our body’s systems overwhelmed and immobilised, which ultimately wreaks havoc on our nervous system. And, increasingly, this is what I am seeing in my clinic time and time again.
Nervous System Nutrients 101
To optimally regulate a dysregulated nervous system, a holistic multi-faceted and multi-systems approach is required, because I can guarantee you that when the nervous system is dysregulated, various other (if not all) body systems will be dysregulated too – because as we know…EVERYTHING is connected. When a client presenting with the above comes to see me in my clinic, I make it clear from the get-go that a whole-person, multi-systems, multi-faceted approach to regulation will be adopted, and that this approach really is essential for effective and long-term healing and recovery.
Specific micronutrients may also be very helpful in maintaining autonomic balance and supporting the nervous system, especially if you may be lacking certain nutrients within your overall dietary intake, or if a particular body system is under particular strain or burden. As a starting point a simple blood test can help you and your practitioner to understand what you are potentially lacking and by how much.
There are many micronutrients that may be helpful in supporting nervous system regulation, but here are few of my fav nutrient go-to’s. Just a little reminder here that everyone and every body is beautifully unique and different, which means that what one person requires in terms of micronutrients, and how they respond to them, will be completely different to another person – we are all different and we all require different things in different amounts – which is why it is always best, and safest, to work with a qualified and registered practitioner.
Nutritional Support for Nervous System Regulation and Resilience
| Nutrient | Primary Mechanism | Clinical Benefit | Scientific Citation |
| Magnesium Glycinate | Modulates NMDA/GABA receptors to prevent nerve over-excitation. | Improves sleep quality, supports nervous system regulation, promotes muscle relaxation and alleviates cramps. | Abbasi et al. (2012), Garrison et al. (2012), Kirkland et al. (2018), Rawji et al. (2024) |
| Omega-3 (EPA/DHA) | Supports myelin sheath integrity and nerve conduction, anti-inflammatory. | Increases Heart Rate Variability (HRV) for better emotional buffering, supports blood pressure and overall cardiovascular health, essential for brain health and cognitive function. | Li et al. (2025), Weitz et al. (2011), Burhani and Rasenick. (2017) |
| Psychobiotics (specific probiotics such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG) | Modulates the gut-brain axis via vagus nerve signaling. | Supports digestive health, cognitive health, and overall nervous system health. | Butler et al. (2019), Del Toro-Barbosa et al. (2020), Partty et al. (2015) |
Why Work With Me?
Are you ready to say goodbye to living with chronic health issues and hello to peace, balance, and vitality? Are you ready to say YES to living a life free of chronic illness? Are you ready to feel like YOU again? I work with people suffering from chronic health issues and illness, including chronic fatigue/ME, fibromyalgia, post-viral fatigue, long COVID, mould-related illness, burnout, chronic digestive issues, and more. My personalised 1-2-1 nutritional therapy and lifestyle programmes are tailored to guide you on a transformative journey of growth, discovery, healing and recovery, empowering and supporting you to FEEL GREAT AGAIN!
The Vagus Nerve & “Vagal Tone”
The Vagus Nerve is essentially our “information superhighway” running between our brain and our gut, and regulates our autonomic nervous system functions, such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. It also helps to regulate digestion and immune system function. The vagus nerve resides in our parasympathetic nervous system (our ‘rest and digest’ state) and by supporting and enhancing our ‘Vagal Tone’ we can encourage nervous system regulation, enhance resilience, and improve flexibility in the way we shift between the different states of arousal. Stimulating the vagus nerve to support overall vagal tone is one of my favourite things to explore with, and recommend to, my clients – vagus nerve stimulation practices are simple, cost-effective, easy to do at home, and are an extremely effective and safe way of regulating our nervous system!
How to Stimulate the Vagus Nerve at Home
- Cold Exposure and Cold Water Immersion: A 2018 study looking at the effects of cold stimulation found that cold exposure significantly increases parasympathetic activity and stimulates the vagus nerve. And don’t worry, you don’t have to be a full cold plunge pro, even spraying cold water on your feet at the end of you shower or just a few seconds of a full cold shower, will still work wonders!
- Exhalation Focus: In a 2018 review, Roderik Gerritsen and Guido Band state that an exhalation breath which is longer than the inhalation breath (e.g., 3:6 or 4:8 breathing) activates the pulmonary vagal fibres and enhances overall vagal tone.
- Somatic Humming: Because the vagus nerve passes through the vocal cords, vibration physically stimulates and tones the vagus nerve. Humming, singing, and gargling are all excellent ways of tuning into vagus nerve function and optimising and strengthening tone, and a 2023 study examining the effects of humming on HRV found that regular humming increased HRV and overall parasympathetic activity.
The Vagus Nerve is essentially our “information superhighway” running between our brain and our gut, and regulates our autonomic nervous system functions, such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.
Final Musings
An overwhelmed and dysregulated nervous system, a consistently activated stress response, and a body that is constantly primed for threat and survival, can affect and impact multiple body systems, including the digestive system, the immune system, and the reproductive system, as well as how we feel, act and react on a day-to-day basis.
The good news is that there are some key tell tale signs, signals and symptoms that can highlight a potentially dysregulated nervous system, as well as some simple tools and practices that we can implement that can help shift our nervous system and stress response back to a foundation of safety, flexibility, and balance.
Medical Disclaimer
The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. As a registered nutritional therapist, I aim to support health and wellbeing through nutrition and lifestyle guidance; however, this content should not be interpreted as medical advice.
Always seek the advice of your GP, physician, or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before making any changes to your diet, supplement routine, or lifestyle.
