What Is Nervous System Regulation?
In the world of yoga, nervous system regulation is a crucial piece of the puzzle that helps us maintain balance, both physically and mentally. It is the art of learning how to manage and calm the nervous system, allowing us to navigate daily stress, emotion, and physical tension with ease and clarity.
So… what exactly does this mean, and how does it connect to your yoga practice? Let’s take a little dive into the science (simplified) and practice of nervous system regulation, and how it plays a pivotal role in your yoga journey.
Keirst & April leading a backbend workshop focused on mobility and drills at a retreat in Paradise Valley, Arizona.
Understanding the nervous system
You can think of the nervous system as the body’s command center. Its job is to regulate every function, from our heartbeat to our breathing and emotional responses. The nervous system can be separated into two main parts: The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS).
Sympathetic nervous system (sns)
You’ve probably heard about this one as “fight, flight, freeze, or fawn”.
The Sympathetic Nervous System is meant to kick in during moments of stress or perceived danger. It prepares our body for action, increasing the heart rate, dilating the pupils, and redirecting blood flow to muscles so we can spring into action.
parasympathetic nervous system (pns)
Better known as “rest & digest”.
The Parasympathetic Nervous System is responsible for calming the body down. It lowers our heart rate, enhances digestion, and promotes relaxation and recovery. We can use the breath to begin to trigger our Parasympathetic Nervous System by elongating our inhales and exhales.
It’s important to maintain a healthy balance between these two systems. In today’s fast-paced world, most of us find ourselves constantly in a heightend state of stress, with the Sympathetic Nervous System dominating. This is where learning how to regulate the nervous system comes into play!
Students utilizing cold therapy as a Nervous Regulation Technique at our retreat in Paradise Valley, Arizona.
Nervous system regulation through yoga
With an emphasis on breath and mindful movement, yoga offers an ideal path to regulate the nervous system. Our first step is recognition of the sensations present in our body when we are in states of overwhelm or stress. We cannot change what we aren’t aware of.
Then, we use that recognition to activate tools in our yoga toolkit.
Here are a few ways we can utilize our yoga practice to support nervous system regulation:
Breathwork (pranayama)
One of our favorite tools in yoga for nervous system regulation is pranayama (breath control). Our breath is directly linked to the parasympathetic nervous system, and by consciously regulating our breath - we can begin to shift our body from a state of tension to one of calmness.
Deep Breathing: Slow, deep breathing signals the body to relax.
Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana): This technique helps to balance the left and right hemispheres of the brain, promoting emotional regulation and stress relief.
Ujjayi Breath: Most often used in our standard vinyasa flow classes, this steady and audible breath calms the mind and helps maintain focus during challenging poses.
2. Mindful movement
The poses we get into in the practice are not just about gaining flexibility and building strength (although these are common side effects) - they also serve to release physical tension in our bodies and cultivate deeper awareness. Slow, deliberate movements in yoga allow us to tune into the body and start to observe where we might be carrying stress and tension.
Forward folds and gentle twists: These poses encourage relaxation by encouraging the release of pent-up emotions or physical stress within the body.
Restorative postures: Think child’s pose, legs up the wall, and reclined butterfly. These poses promote deep relaxation, and help us reduce stress & anxiety.
3. Meditation and mindfulness
Meditation is a practice that can significantly help in nervous system regulation by training our mind to become more aware and present. When we start to focus on the present moment, we train the brain to create space without overwhelming anxious thoughts or external stressors.
Mindfulness Meditation: This practice encourages self-awareness and brings attention to the sensations in the body, increasing awareness and releasing stress and tension.
Body Scan Meditation: This specific form of mindfulness involves mentally scanning the body from head to toe and noticing areas of tension in the body, allowing the body to systematically relax.
4. Restorative yoga
This is our favorite modality to share to folks who have been in chronic states of stress, burnout, or physical pain. The practice involves holding gentle poses for an extended period of time, using props (blankets, blocks, and bolsters) to support the body and allow deep relaxation. This is not a “doing” practice. This is a “being” and “receiving” practice.
Activation of the Vagus Nerve: Restorative Yoga helps to stimulate our vagus nerve, a key part of the parasympathetic nervous system. This nerve helps to calm the nervous system and promotes a sense of peace. We can activate the vagus nerve by making a “humming” sound in the throat.
the role of nervous system regulation in everyday life
A consistent yoga practice will help you build resilience, physically, mentally, and emotionally. By teaching the body to switch from the stress response (sympathetic) to a calm, restorative state (parasympathetic) more easily and efficiently. As you practice this, you start to become more in tune with your body’s signals, sensations, and automatic responses. This insight allows us to better manage stress, anxiety, and emotional overload when we’re not on our mat practicing.
When you feel calm, centered, and grounded - you make better decisions, communicate more clearly, and experience more peace within your life. Whether it’s through a slow flow, a deep breathing practice, or a few minutes of meditation, yoga provides many tools to help us regulate the nervous system and cultivate a more peaceful existence.
find balance, tune in, and find peace
Nervous System Regulation is not just about “calming down” - it’s more about finding balance. It is normal and even helpful to be activated sometimes, just not all of the time. Yoga, breathwork, mindful movement, meditation, and restorative yoga all contain the perfect recipe to bring your nervous system into harmony.
The more you practice this, the more your body learns to return to a state of balance, even in the face of a challenge. Whether you’re new to yoga or have been practicing for years, understanding and practicing nervous system regulation on your mat is an essential step towards greater peace and overall well-being.
So.. go roll out your mat, take a few deep breaths, and begin!
If you’re looking for a space to get involved, join our FREE monthly courses & challenges with our virtual community.
Build and maintain a consistent practice with us, using all the tools we’ve mentioned above on Afternoon Yoga Online.
