Have you ever wondered why certain situations trigger immediate stress or anxiety, even when you’re technically “safe”? It’s your nervous system, specifically the vagus nerve, acting like your body’s built-in radar, constantly scanning your environment for danger or safety. This process, called neuroception, happens unconsciously and can trigger responses like fight, flight, freeze, or fawn, even if the threat isn’t real.

Here’s the thing: our nervous systems can’t distinguish between actual danger and perceived stress (like an overwhelming to-do list or a heated argument with a loved one). So, when we’re stuck in these heightened states, it takes a toll on our bodies, leading to burnout, anxiety, or chronic stress.

But the good news? You can show your body it’s safe, calming your autonomic nervous system and shifting from those fight/flight/freeze states into a more peaceful, regulated one. In this post, we’ll dive into how you can do just that through simple, body-based practices that soothe the nervous system and create lasting change.

What is Polyvagal Theory?

At the heart of nervous system regulation is Polyvagal Theory—a framework that explains how our nervous system responds to safety and danger cues. The vagus nerve plays a central role here. It’s like a communication highway that connects your brain to your heart, lungs, and gut, helping regulate your body’s response to stress.

When your nervous system detects safety, it shifts into the parasympathetic state (aka rest-and-digest mode), where you feel calm, connected, and able to heal. On the other hand, if your nervous system picks up cues of threat, even if those cues are just everyday stressors, it triggers the sympathetic state (fight-or-flight) or the dorsal vagal state (freeze or shutdown).

The goal of showing your body it’s safe is to calm the autonomic nervous system and help it shift out of those stress states into a regulated, parasympathetic mode, where you can rest, repair, and connect.

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Why We Need Somatic (Bottom-Up) Approaches Instead of Just Top-Down Methods

You’ve probably heard a lot about mindset work, affirmations, and positive thinking. And while these top-down approaches are valuable, they don’t always reach the deeper layers of your nervous system—the parts that hold trauma, stress, and unconscious responses.

Why? Because the nervous system operates through sensation and emotion, not logic. You can tell yourself “I’m safe” a hundred times, but if your body doesn’t feel safe, that message won’t stick. This is why bottom-up approaches—using the body to communicate safety to the brain—are so essential.

Bottom-up approaches focus on working with the reptilian brain (sensations) and the limbic brain (emotions and feelings). For example, when you’re stuck in fight-or-flight, you can’t think your way out of it. You need to use body-based practices that signal to your nervous system that everything’s okay.

For ambitious women, especially those balancing careers, family, and personal goals, it’s easy to push through stress mentally. But your body is often left running on fumes, caught in survival mode. Incorporating somatic practices helps to release that stress and restore balance.

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3 Somatic Practices to Bring Safety to Your Body

Now that we understand how vital it is to show your body it’s safe, let’s dive into three somatic practices that can help you shift from fight/flight/freeze into a more regulated state. These small but powerful tools are easy to integrate into your daily routine and can make a huge difference in how you feel.

1. Orienting to the Present Moment

What It Is:
Orienting is a practice where you consciously take in your surroundings through your senses to ground yourself in the present moment. It’s about noticing the environment around you that feels safe or neutral, signaling to your brain that you’re not in danger.

How It Works:
When your nervous system is in a hypervigilant state, it’s constantly scanning for threats. Orienting helps pull your brain out of that survival mode by showing it there’s no immediate danger.

Try This:
Next time you feel stressed, pause and look around. Focus on sensory details: the warmth of the sun on your skin, the softness of your sweater, or the sound of birds chirping. Take a moment to notice these sensations and let yourself relax into them.

Impact:
Orienting to safe or neutral stimuli helps calm the nervous system, reducing feelings of anxiety and helping you feel more grounded in the present.

2. Self-Touch or Grounding Touch

What It Is:
Physical touch activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which signals to your body that you’re safe. Whether it’s placing a hand on your heart or cradling your face, self-touch can have a calming effect on your nervous system.

How It Works:
Touching yourself in a soothing way sends signals to your brain that you’re held and supported. It’s a way of saying, “I’ve got you,” which can down-regulate the stress response and help you feel more at ease.

Try This:
Place one hand over your chest and the other on your belly. Gently press and feel the warmth of your hands. Stay here for a few breaths, noticing the rise and fall of your belly with each inhale and exhale.

Impact:
This practice helps soothe feelings of anxiety, edginess, or overwhelm. It’s a simple yet powerful way to regulate your nervous system in moments of stress.

3. Vagus Nerve Stimulation through Breath

What It Is:
Your breath is a powerful tool for calming the nervous system. Slow, deep breathing—particularly extending your exhales—stimulates the vagus nerve and activates the parasympathetic response, bringing your body into a more relaxed state.

How It Works:
The vagus nerve acts as a brake for your nervous system, helping you slow down and shift out of fight-or-flight. When you take long, slow breaths, you signal to your body that it’s time to relax.

Try This:
Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, and then exhale for 6 counts. Repeat this for several cycles, focusing on lengthening your exhales to activate the calming effects of the vagus nerve.

Impact:
By slowing down your breath, you slow down your heart rate, reducing stress and bringing your body into a more regulated state. This practice can be especially helpful when you’re feeling overwhelmed or overstimulated.

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Learning to show your body it’s safe is one of the most powerful tools you can have in your self-care toolkit. Through somatic practices like orienting, self-touch, and vagus nerve breathing, you can help your nervous system shift out of survival mode and into a state of calm and connection.

Remember, this isn’t about quick fixes. Healing your nervous system takes time and practice, but these small, intentional actions will gradually shift your body back into a regulated state. Start experimenting with these practices and notice how your body feels before and after. Over time, you’ll find that you can more easily move from stress to calm, feeling more present, connected, and in control.

I’d love to hear how these practices work for you! Try them out and share your experience. And stay tuned for more tips on deepening your understanding of nervous system regulation.

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