Why’s everyone talking about my nervous system!?

Elli Flitton
Aug 24
4 min read

An introduction to the nervous system, how it works and what “dysregulation” may look like.

If you’re partial to a bit of yoga, or if you see wellness-type content online, you may have noticed a lot of talk about the nervous system lately. It seems to be a bit of a buzzword at the moment. I’ve certainly noticed a lot more nervous system themed content online, including specific tips or yoga sequences promising to “calm your nervous system”, as well as a lot of general talk about “dysregulated” nervous systems.

If you’re a bit of a buzzword sceptic like me, you might be wondering, what does it all mean!? Why is everyone suddenly talking about my nervous system!? Is my nervous system dysregulated!? And if so, how can I calm or regulate it??

This post focuses on the science side of things: what the nervous system is, how it works, and what “dysregulation” might look like. I’ll follow up with a second post exploring practical ways to help calm the nervous system (including, of course, yoga).

Let’s break it down…

So, what is a nervous system?

Your nervous system is basically your body’s control centre. It’s made up of your brain, spinal cord, and a network of long nerve fibres that extend out to the rest of your body. Its main job is to send messages between your brain and your body, keeping track of what’s happening inside and outside, and telling your body how to respond.

The nervous system has two main parts:

Central nervous system (CNS): the brain and the spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system (PNS): the long nerve fibres connecting the CNS to all other parts of the body

The nerve fibres (PNS) provide sensory information to the CNS, which processes it, decides what to do, and sends instructions back. Some of this processing is conscious, but a large part of it happens without you being aware of it.

I’m not including a picture of a real nervous system here as I’m very squeamish and it grosses me out, so google at your own risk!

Your stress response has entered the chat...

When people in yoga or wellness circles talk about “calming” or “regulating” the nervous system, they’re usually talking about a specific part called the autonomic nervous system (ANS).

The ANS is part of the peripheral nervous system (PNS), and looks after the involuntary, automatic processes that keep you alive - things like your heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, digestion and… stress responses!

It has two key branches:

Sympathetic nervous system: activates the body’s “fight-or-flight” response in situations of perceived stress or danger.
Parasympathetic nervous system: which supports the “rest-and-digest” response that helps the body relax, recover and conserve energy.

Both responses are essential to our survival. The fight-or-flight response evolved to help our ancestors react quickly to immediate dangers, flooding the body with stress hormones that sharpen focus, increase heart rate, and mobilise energy. Once the threat passes, the parasympathetic system takes over, gradually calming the body and returning things to baseline.

The problem is, although the challenges we face in modern life don’t usually involve life-or-death danger, our bodies don’t know the difference. The same survival response that once helped our ancestors run away from wild animals can be set off by a critical email, a tense conversation, or a calendar packed with back-to-back commitments.

Ideally, the stress response should be short-lived - like the brief stress of rushing to catch a train, then relaxing once you sit down. But if stress is constant, intense, or tied to past trauma, fight-or-flight can stay switched on, or get triggered by things that aren’t truly dangerous. This is what people often mean when they talk about a “dysregulated” or “activated” nervous system.

How do I know if my nervous system is dysregulated/activated?

Being caught in a stress response can show up in all kinds of ways, and it’s different for everyone. Some common signs you might notice include:

A racing heart or feeling jittery inside
Short, shallow or tight breathing
Muscle tension (like a clenched jaw, tight shoulders, restless hands)
Digestive changes (nausea, bloating, or changes in appetite)
Feeling drained, flat or exhausted
Feeling overwhelmed, overstimulated, anxious or on edge
Struggling to switch off at night, or lying awake with a busy mind
A general feeling of disconnection (from yourself, others or the world around you)

Why is everyone talking about this now?

Alongside a rise in nervous system-themed content on social media, Google searches for “nervous system dysregulation” have increased over the past couple of years, and are currently the highest they’ve ever been.

Google searches for "nervous system dysregulation" since 2018

While the nervous system might feel like a bit of a trend right now, it’s worth remembering that it’s incredibly complex, and not fully understood even by experts. Unfortunately, there’s no quick fix (there never is!).

But understanding how your nervous system works, and noticing when your fight-or-flight response is staying switched on, or has switched on when there’s no real danger, is the first step. That awareness creates space to respond differently, opening the door to practices that can help you slow down, find a sense of calm, and reassure your body that it’s safe. It’s about experimenting gently and finding what works for you.

So how do we actually tell our nervous system that we’re not being hunted for sport? That’s where yoga and other practices come in… which I’ll explore in the next post.