5 Signs of a Healthy Nervous System
Are you wondering if you have a healthy nervous system? If so, there are a few ways to tell. Here are the top five signs that you have a healthy nervous system:
ONE
You can perceive and respond to threats accurately and appropriately. When you have an unhealthy or dysregulated nervous system, it can be difficult to differentiate between excitement and nervousness. So, with a regulated nervous system, this will not be an issue for you.
TWO
You allow yourself to experience emotions without judgment. When you have a healthy nervous system, you realize that your emotions do not define who you are–they are something that you experience. Therefore, by not judging your emotions or yourself for the emotions that you experience, you are better able to learn from and process them.
THREE
You can experience stress without staying on high alert or shutting down. You can manage your day-to-day life without getting overwhelmed regularly, and when you do get overwhelmed, it doesn’t consume you. When you have a dysregulated nervous system, it is easy to get stuck in a chronic freeze response which can mean that you rely on stress and adrenaline for motivation. This is very unhealthy.
FOUR
You know your limits and you are aware of when you need to set boundaries. You are also then able to set those boundaries. Setting boundaries is an important part of having a healthy nervous system because it allows you to say “no” when you need to and protect your peace without feeling as though you have to do something that you don’t want to do. When you set healthy, regular boundaries, it helps sustain healthy relationships in your life as well.
FIVE
You feel connected to your body and to others. Sometimes when you don’t have a healthy nervous system, you can feel distant or dissociated. When your nervous system is healthy, this isn’t a problem for you. You are able to distinguish between excitement and nervousness and therefore are able to be playful and experience true joy.
It may not always feel possible to have a healthy nervous system; however, with a combination of the right resources, personal responsibility, time and compassion, you can in fact heal your nervous system. And keep it healthy!
Appropriate support at the right time is the key to healing. Healing happens through glimmers of progress that slowly become more frequent over time. It isn’t a quick process, but with patience and commitment, you can do it.
Working with a trauma trained practitioner who understands the role of nervous system physiology and how to regulate stress & survival responses can be crucial in your journey. If you’re not sure how to find the right support or what to look for in a practitioner, check out my free training on the lessons that I learned on my personal road to recovery from trauma.
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