Achieving Optimal Wellness Through Nervous System Regulation

Originally published:  3 July 2024. Last updated: 12 June 2025.

If you need to have a strategy in place every single day just to feel calm – your nervous system isn’t regulated. It’s coping. And while tools and strategies are helpful (and sometimes necessary in the moment), true nervous system regulation goes much deeper.

To be regulated means having a nervous system that moves efficiently and appropriately between states of alertness and calm. It doesn’t mean you’re always peaceful or never triggered – it means you have the capacity to meet life’s challenges, then return to a state of ease without relying on external tools every time.

A regulated nervous system supports you to feel grounded, emotionally stable, and adaptable. It’s about resilience – not perfection.

What Does Nervous System Regulation Actually Look Like?

Physical Signs:

• Relaxed muscles and ease in the body

• A steady, natural heart rate

• Deep, regular breathing (not shallow or erratic)

• Consistent digestion without bloating or discomfort

• Falling asleep easily and waking refreshed

Emotional Signs:

• More emotional stability and less mood volatility

• A sense of inner calm and reduced reactivity

• Increased resilience to stress or change

• Feeling joy, contentment and connection in your daily life

Mental Signs:

• Clear thinking and sharp focus

• Problem-solving without overwhelm

• Space for creativity and imagination

• Being present in the moment (not stuck in the past or future)

A truly regulated nervous system doesn’t mean you’re zen all the time. It means you ride the waves of life with more ease. You feel your feelings fully and express them freely, without getting stuck in emotional loops or spirals.

This is the foundation of true wellness.

What If I’m Using Tools Every Day Just to Stay Calm?

That’s a clue that your system might be dysregulated. If you need a tool just to function, you’re likely in a state of survival. There’s nothing wrong with using tools – they’re often the first step. But eventually, the goal is that your body knows how to return to balance on its own.

The good news? You can rewire your nervous system. You can build this capacity over time. And the journey of doing so brings incredible changes to your health, your relationships, and your sense of self.

The Role of Consistency in Regulation

Healing your nervous system doesn’t happen in one big leap – it happens through small, consistent actions. The daily rhythm of resourcing, tending to your needs, and allowing space for emotional release is what re-patterns your system over time.

That’s exactly what we support inside the Upgrade Your Life with ERT Membership. Each week you’ll receive support to release stuck emotional patterns, regulate your nervous system, and build inner resilience. With regular group sessions, it’s the space to commit to your emotional well-being and finally make it a priority.

Whether you’re feeling stuck in stress or just want to maintain the balance you’ve already built – the membership is a beautiful next step. You can learn more or join us here: https://livingwholistically.com.au/upgrade-your-life-membership

Is Your Nervous System Regulated?

This is the question I encourage you to sit with – not to shame or judge yourself, but to get curious. Notice your daily habits, your triggers, your ability to return to calm. What would it feel like to move through life without needing to brace for impact or recover from every little thing?

This is possible. Regulation is your birthright. Your body is designed for it – and with the right support, it can remember.