Today, we’re diving into one of my absolute favorite topics: the subtle signals your body sends when your nervous system needs some extra TLC. Sure, we all know the classic signs of stress—racing thoughts, feeling on edge, never really relaxing—but sometimes our body gets creative. Think of a clenched jaw, a hormonal imbalance, or that persistent brain fog you just can’t shake. These are the offbeat ways your system is whispering (or even shouting), “Hey, I need help!”
If you’re new here, I’m Michelle. I help high-achieving women reconnect with their bodies and regulate their nervous systems. Your NS is always communicating with you—through tension, energy levels, digestive issues, even how easily you fall asleep. The real question is: Are you listening? Let’s talk about how to tune in.
The Power of Somatic Cues
Before we jump into the five signs, let’s chat about somatic cues. Your body is a walking, non-talking indicator of how safe or threatened you feel. We spend so much time in our heads that we often miss the red flags our body is waving until they escalate into full-blown issues like chronic pain or severe anxiety.
Somatic cues include physical sensations, unconscious habits, or repeated patterns—like a clenched jaw or tight shoulders—that reveal what’s really going on inside you. Recognizing these signals early makes it easier to address NS health before burnout or a hormone crash takes hold. My hope today is that you’ll spot one (or more) of these oddly specific signs in yourself and say, “Oh, that’s my body telling me something!” Then, you can take small, manageable steps to help your system feel safer and more supported.
Sign #1: Your Jaw Is Clenched (Maybe Even Right Now)
Let’s start with one of the most common yet overlooked signals—a clenched jaw. If you paused for a moment and noticed your teeth are nearly locked together, you’re not alone.
Why It Happens
A clenched or tight jaw signals that your body is in a low-grade fight-or-flight state. Whether you’re dealing with a tense work environment or just the everyday stress of life, your muscles tense up—especially in your jaw, neck, and shoulders. This can lead to headaches, TMJ issues, or even dizziness.
The Nervous System Link
Your jaw is part of your body’s survival toolkit. Just like animals bare their teeth when threatened, your jaw tenses as a protective response. In our modern lives, this ancient reaction shows up as repressed stress or unacknowledged anger.
A Simple Fix
- Jaw Check: Set a reminder on your phone or watch to do a quick check every couple of hours.
- Jaw Release: Open your mouth slightly, wiggle your jaw side to side, or gently massage the muscles near your ears. Try exhaling with an audible sigh to let go of tension. It might feel a bit silly, but trust me—it works!
Sign #2: High Cortisol & Low Progesterone
Next up is a hormonal signal that might show up on your lab tests—or you might simply notice it through symptoms like anxiety, mood swings, or irregular cycles.
Why It Happens
When you’re constantly running on adrenaline—juggling to-do lists, kids, job demands, and zero downtime—your body stays in survival mode and cranks out cortisol, your primary stress hormone. Meanwhile, progesterone, which regulates mood, fertility, and sleep, tends to drop when your body is busy fighting stress. Your system is effectively saying, “We’re too busy being on alert to handle reproduction or chill.”
The Nervous System Link
A nervous system stuck in fight-or-flight keeps signaling your adrenals to produce more cortisol. Over time, this throws your hormones off balance, leading to issues like irregular periods, insomnia, or even fertility concerns.
A Simple Fix
- Lifestyle Tweaks: Carve out 5–10 minutes daily for a parasympathetic-activating practice like restorative yoga, deep diaphragmatic breathing, or a guided meditation.
- Cycle Tracking: If you notice more stress in the luteal phase (the week or so before your period), add some extra gentle practices during that time.
Sign #3: Hard Time Winding Down for Bed
Ever find yourself yawning all day but suddenly wired at night? Trouble shifting from “go mode” to a restful state when it’s time for bed is a big red flag.
Why It Happens
That second wind at night—whether it’s from late emails, doom-scrolling, or simply feeling too amped to relax—means your sympathetic nervous system is still in charge. It hasn’t yet transitioned to the parasympathetic “rest & digest” mode, leaving you alert when you should be winding down.
The Nervous System Link
When your brain believes it’s unsafe to fully relax, it keeps your body on high alert. Alternatively, if nighttime is your only quiet period, all the pent-up thoughts can flood in, triggering a stress response you suppressed earlier.
A Simple Fix
- Tech Curfew: Set a rule for yourself—a phone cutoff 30 minutes (or an hour) before bed. This reduces those constant dopamine hits and the blue light that keeps you wired.
- Bedtime Routine: Establish a pre-sleep ritual. Dim the lights, do some gentle stretching, or play guided relaxation music. Train your body to recognize, “Okay, it’s time to wind down.”
Sign #4: Gut Issues (Bloating, IBS, or Frequent Discomfort)
Now, let’s talk about something many women dismiss as “just a sensitive tummy”—but it might be more. Chronic gut issues like bloating, IBS-like symptoms, or frequent digestive discomfort can be your body’s way of signaling NS dysregulation.
Why It Happens
Your gut and brain are connected via the gut-brain axis. When you’re stressed, your body deprioritizes digestion, redirecting blood flow away from the intestines. Stress hormones can also alter gut motility, leading to discomfort.
The Nervous System Link
Ongoing fight-or-flight triggers inflammation and messes with your gut flora, making efficient digestion difficult. If your nervous system is perpetually activated, your gut simply can’t perform optimally.
A Simple Fix
- Mindful Eating: Dedicate just one meal a day to mindful eating. Sit down, take three deep breaths, and chew slowly. Let your body know, “We have time to digest.”
- Gut-Supporting Foods: Consider incorporating probiotic or fermented foods like yogurt or kimchi if you tolerate them well.
Sign #5: Brain Fog & Memory Loss
Finally, let’s address the brain fog—the moments when you forget why you walked into a room or struggle to recall that elusive word on the tip of your tongue.
Why It Happens
When your nervous system is stuck in survival mode, your brain’s ability to focus and remember takes a hit. Constantly high cortisol can impair your hippocampus—the brain’s memory center—leading to fuzzy thinking and diminished mental clarity.
The Nervous System Link
Chronic stress overtaxes your brain, leaving minimal bandwidth for short-term memory and focus. It’s like your brain’s CPU is overloaded with background processes, making it hard to concentrate on the task at hand.
A Simple Fix
- Brain Breaks: Work in 50-minute blocks and then take a 5–10-minute break. Use that time for a quick body scan or simply let your mind wander to reset your mental load.
- Nutrient Support: Stay hydrated and consider supporting brain function with B vitamins and omega-3s. Still, the main focus should be on reducing NS stress to clear that fog.
There you have it—5 oddly specific signs your nervous system is waving a flag:
- A clenched jaw
- High cortisol and low progesterone
- Trouble winding down at night
- Gut issues like bloating or IBS
- Brain fog and memory lapses
Action Step: Reflect on which of these signs resonate with you the most. Start with one area—maybe it’s releasing jaw tension or establishing a better bedtime routine—and implement a small change. Notice how these tweaks affect your overall mood, energy, and sense of calm.
Remember, your body is always talking; it’s up to you to learn its language of tension, hormones, and digestion. Addressing these subtle cues early on can prevent deeper spirals of burnout and anxiety down the line.
For more practical tools, grab my Nervous System Reset Guide (link in the show notes). It’s packed with simple somatic exercises designed to help you shift from fight-or-flight to a calmer, more resilient baseline—no hour-long meditations required.
Thanks for tuning in, friends! If this post resonated with you, share it with someone who’s always complaining about jaw pain or struggles to unwind at night. Let’s help each other find that peace and reclaim our calm. Remember: your body knows best—so listen to it!
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