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Three Things You Can Do Right Now to Regulate Your Nervous System
- Jessicah Walker Herche, PhD, HSPP
- May 6
- 4 min read
Those of us with more sensitive nervous systems (whether due to trauma, chronic stress, high sensitivity, anxiety, or early relational experiences) often have to work a little more intentionally at emotional regulation.
And despite what social media often suggests, the goal of regulation is not to become calm all the time.
In fact, calm is not always what the moment calls for.
Emotion Regulation Is Not “Calm Regulation”
Many people assume being emotionally regulated means never feeling overwhelmed, activated, angry, anxious, or emotional.
But emotions are not the problem.
Emotions are information.
They tell us:
something matters
something feels unsafe
a need is unmet
a boundary has been crossed
or our system is overloaded
The problem is not having emotion. The problem is when the emotion becomes so big that it takes over completely.
When your emotion feels bigger than you, it becomes difficult to think clearly, stay connected to yourself, or respond in a way that aligns with who you want to be. This is often where regret, reactivity, shutdown, or impulsive responses emerge.
Regulation, then, is not the absence of emotion.
It’s the ability to stay connected to yourself while feeling emotion.
It’s the experience of feeling bigger than the emotion—able to notice it, understand it, and decide what to do next instead of simply reacting from it.
How Do We Begin to Feel Bigger Than Our Emotions?
There are many ways to support nervous system regulation. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s experimenting with practices that help your body feel safer, steadier, and more grounded in the moment.
Here are a few simple places to start.
1. Breathwork
Breathing practices have been used for centuries to support nervous system regulation, long before they became popular online.
One simple approach is intentional rhythmic breathing...bringing steady attention to your inhale and exhale in a way that helps your body slow down and settle.
Try this:
Sit comfortably with your spine supported and upright
Inhale slowly through your nose
Exhale slowly through your nose
Continue for several minutes while gently bringing your attention back to your breath whenever your mind wanders
Notice what shifts. Not just mentally, but physically too.
Does your chest soften?
Does your jaw unclench?
Do your thoughts feel less frantic?
Sometimes regulation begins with simply giving the body a different rhythm to follow.
2. Do Something Grounding and Physical
One of the most overlooked regulation tools is engaging your body in repetitive, sensory-based activity.
Something as simple as pulling weeds, gardening, sweeping, organizing, or walking outside can help interrupt spiraling thoughts and bring you back into the present moment.
Why?
Because grounding activities engage multiple senses at once:
touch
movement
sight
sound
texture
temperature
And often, they gently redirect attention away from mental overwhelm and back into embodied experience.
Many people notice that after several minutes of this kind of activity, their nervous system feels less charged, and whatever emotion felt consuming begins to feel more manageable.
3. Move the Emotion Through Your Body
Sometimes the nervous system doesn’t need stillness first. Sometimes it needs movement.
Dancing, shaking out your arms and legs, stretching, walking briskly, or moving to music can help release activation and support emotional regulation.
This is especially helpful when you feel:
restless
emotionally flooded
stuck in anxious energy
unable to “think” your way out of overwhelm
The body is not separate from emotional experience.
Often, movement helps complete stress responses that your nervous system has been holding onto.
So put on music you love. Move without overthinking it. Let your body participate in the process instead of trying to regulate entirely through thought.
Practice Before You Need It
One of the most important things to remember about nervous system regulation is this:
These practices work best when they are familiar.
If we only try regulation tools in moments of extreme distress, it can be harder for the body to access them. Practicing regularly, even briefly, helps create greater ease and flexibility when difficult moments arise.
When Regulation Feels Hard No Matter What You Try
Grounding exercises and nervous system tools can be incredibly helpful. But sometimes dysregulation runs deeper especially when trauma, chronic stress, or painful relational experiences are involved.
In those cases, healing may require more than coping strategies alone.
Therapies like EMDR can help address the underlying experiences that keep the nervous system stuck in patterns of hypervigilance, overwhelm, or shutdown. You can learn more about our approach to EMDR therapy and trauma therapy and how we support clients in building a greater sense of safety and regulation.
At Cadence Psychology Studio, we work with individuals navigating anxiety, trauma, burnout, and emotional overwhelm. We offer in-person therapy in Fishers, Indiana, as well as secure online sessions throughout Indiana and PSYPACT-participating states.
If you’re ready for deeper support, we’re here to help.
Call or text 317-747-0574 or visit our contact page to get started.
About the Author
Jessicah Walker Herche, PhD, HSPP, is a counseling psychologist and founder of Cadence Psychology Studio, a therapy practice in Indiana. She specializes in working with high-achieving adults and couples to navigate trauma, anxiety, and relationship challenges, offering care that is both clinically grounded and deeply relational.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this blog is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional psychological care, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
