Spotting a Dysregulated Nervous System: A Somatic Guide for Healing Professionals – Physical Cues
We're back with another 3-part series! This week, we're diving into the hidden signs of a dysregulated nervous system and how it can manifest both emotionally and physically. Follow along for practical tips and insights on how to support your clients' well-being through a somatic approach.
In our last post, we dove into the emotional signs of a dysregulated nervous system. We talked about how it can manifest as anxiety, panic, difficulty focusing, and mood swings. But the impact of a dysregulated nervous system doesn’t stop at our emotions.
The Body's Alarm Bells: Recognizing Physical Distress
A dysregulated nervous system can wreak havoc on a person’s physical health, too. It's like a domino effect: emotional distress triggers a cascade of physiological changes that can leave them feeling exhausted, achy, and generally out of sorts.
What are some of the physical red flags to be on the lookout for?
Unexplained chronic pain or body tension: This could show up as persistent headaches, muscle aches, back pain, or a general feeling of tightness in the body.
Digestive issues: Think constipation, diarrhea, bloating, nausea, or stomach cramps. These symptoms are often dismissed as "just stress," but they can be a major sign of a dysregulated nervous system.
Headaches or migraines: These can be triggered by stress, tension, and other factors related to nervous system dysregulation.
Sensory sensitivities: A person might suddenly become more sensitive to loud noises, bright lights, or strong smells.
Okay, I know what you're probably thinking — "These symptoms can be caused by a million different things!" And you're right. But here's the key: outside of causes that can be medically explained, when these physical symptoms show up alongside the emotional ones we discussed last time, there’s a possibility that the nervous system is involved.
This is where somatic healing modalities like breathwork can be incredibly powerful. These practices work directly with the body to help regulate the nervous system and restore balance. We'll dive deeper into that in our next post!
For now, start tuning into your clients' bodies as well as their minds. Notice how they hold tension, how they breathe, how they react to different stimuli. These clues can tell you a lot about what's happening beneath the surface.
✨ If you’re interested in exploring nervous system regulation to cultivate sustainable healing for yourself or your clients, our breathwork facilitator certification is enrolling. Peep the syllabus at www.flowbreathworktraining.com.
