In the previous article, we explored why the body can remain stuck in a low-level stress response, even when there is no immediate danger.
The good news is that the nervous system is not fixed.
Just as the body learns stress, it can also learn safety.
And often, that process begins with something surprisingly simple, paying attention to the signals we are constantly sending the body through our posture, breath, attention and movement.
The nervous system is always listening, not just to our thoughts, but to our physiology. It means that small changes in how we breathe, sit, move and respond can slowly begin to shift the body out of survival mode and towards a state of rest.
Start with the body
Take a moment and notice your body right now.
Are your shoulders lifted without you realising?
Is your jaw clenched?
Is your tongue pressed tightly inside your mouth?
Are the muscles around your eyes and forehead tense?
Many of us carry stress in the body without noticing it.
Sometimes, simply softening these areas can begin to send a message of safety to the nervous system.
Now, gently, roll back your shoulders and relax them.
Unclench your jaw.
Let your tongue rest gently on the roof of your mouth.
Soften your face.
Sit in a position that feels supported and comfortable.
These may seem like very small things, but the body often responds to subtle cues.
Research on the nervous system and stress physiology suggests that body posture, muscle tension and facial expression can influence how safe or threatened the brain perceives us to be.
Then come back to the breath
Breathing is one of the few functions in the body that is both automatic and voluntary.
And this makes it incredibly powerful.
In moments of stress, the breath often becomes rapid, shallow and held in the upper chest. By consciously changing the breath, we can begin to influence the nervous system in the opposite direction.
One of the simplest ways to do this is by giving more attention to the exhale.
The longer and slower the exhale, the more the body begins to shift towards the parasympathetic or ‘rest and digest’ state.
You might try-
Belly breathing with a longer exhale
Take a slow, deep breath into the belly, allowing it to gently rise as you inhale. Then exhale slowly through the mouth, making the exhale slightly longer than the inhale.
The sighing breath
Inhale gently and let the exhale leave the body with an audible sigh, releasing tension as you breathe out.
Humming on the exhale (Bee Breath)
Take a soft inhale and hum gently as you exhale, noticing the subtle vibration it creates within the body.
Research suggests that slower breathing and longer exhales can stimulate the vagus nerve, which plays an important role in calming the nervous system and supporting recovery.
Gently redirect the mind
When we feel stressed, the mind often turns inward. Thoughts go into loop mode and attention narrows around worry, planning or overthinking.
Sometimes it can help to gently take the attention outside of ourselves.
Sit comfortably for a moment and simply listen.
Notice the sounds around you.
A car passing.
Birds outside.
Voices in the distance.
The hum of a room.
Try not to label the sounds as good or bad. Don’t attach yourself to any particular noise. Just notice them coming and going.
This practice can help interrupt the cycle of constant mental engagement and bring the nervous system back into the present moment.
Practise when you already feel calm
One of the most important things to understand is that these practices work best when repeated regularly, not only during moments of overwhelm.
The body learns through repetition.
When you practise slowing the breath, relaxing the body or redirecting attention during calm moments, the nervous system begins to recognise these as familiar cues of safety.
Over time, it becomes easier for the body to access that state again.
Not instantly.
Not perfectly.
But more naturally.
Add gentle movement
Once the body begins to feel a little safer and more settled, movement can also help regulate the nervous system.
This does not have to mean intense exercise.
Sometimes the most supportive forms of movement are also the simplest-
- walking
- stretching
- yoga
- shaking out tension from the body
Gentle movement can help release built-up tension and remind the body that stress is not something we have to stay trapped inside.
Regulation, not perfection
Nervous system regulation is not about feeling calm all the time.
It is about helping the body become more flexible, more resilient and more able to return to balance after stress.
Some days will still feel overwhelming. Some moments will still feel activating.
But when we begin listening to the body instead of constantly pushing past it, something slowly changes.
The body no longer has to stay permanently on guard.
And sometimes, healing begins not with doing more, but with giving the body enough signals that it is finally safe enough to rest.
If you would like to explore the science further-
Understanding The Stress Response
Parasympathetic Nervous System
Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers by Robert M. Sapolsky