When Everything Feels Like Too Much
(Nervous System 911)
Some weeks it feels like the whole world is on fire. Your inbox is overflowing, the dog is sick, traffic is a nightmare, and what’s going on in the world — another tragedy, disaster, chaos — and suddenly your chest feels tight.
It’s not just “in your head.” Your nervous system is reading all of this as danger. Heart racing, jaw clenched, thoughts spinning. That’s your body saying, “We’re not safe.”
And while you can’t stop the world from being hard (or the news from being terrible), you can remind your body that right now, in this moment, you’re safe enough to take a breath.
Here are eight ways real patients (names changed) have shared how they have used the tips we talked about when they were getting adjusted to regulate their nervous systems when everything felt like too much — from personal crises to scary headlines.
8 Nervous System Resets for Overwhelming Days
(1) Shake It Out … Literally
Jordan, a busy parent of three, felt his stress peak one morning when the kids were all crying, he was late for work, and the radio was blaring news of another disaster. Instead of snapping, he put on a silly song, set a one-minute timer, and shook his arms and legs like a cartoon character. By the end, everyone was laughing, and the morning tension had broken.
Why It Works:
When you’re stressed, your muscles tense and your body fills with adrenaline. Shaking is a natural way to discharge that excess energy - animals do this instinctively after escaping danger. This “neurogenic tremoring” sends a message to your brain that the threat has passed, helping to switch you from fight-or-flight mode back into a calmer state.
Try this:
💃 Shake each limb one at a time, then your whole body.
💃 Try a 1-song “dance break” when you feel tension building.
💃 End with a long exhale or a stretch to signal to your brain that you’re done.
Office/Public-Friendly Option:
No music? No problem. Stand up at your desk, roll your shoulders, shake out your wrists, and bounce gently on your heels for 30 seconds. It’s quick, subtle, and releases just enough tension to reset without drawing too much attention.
In a meeting? At a lunch? Roll your shoulders, shake out your wrists under the desk, and bounce gently on your heels for 30 seconds. It’s subtle but effective.
(2) Box Breathing Before the Breakdown
Maria, a nurse, felt her chest tighten before a complicated family conversation. She paused and did four rounds of box breathing: inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Her shoulders dropped, and she was able to start the conversation with a clear head.
Why It Works:
Box breathing is like a manual reset for your nervous system. By slowing and evening out your breath, it lowers your heart rate, stabilizes blood pressure, and activates the vagus nerve — the switch that turns on your body’s calming response. It’s a go-to tool for Navy SEALs, ER doctors, and therapists because it works fast, even in high-stakes situations, to stop panic in its tracks and bring you back to center.
Try this:
☁️ Trace a square in the air while breathing (visual cue).
☁️ Start with just 3 rounds if 4 feels too long.
☁️ Try it lying down with a hand on your belly to feel your breath slow.
☁️ Use a free app or timer with gentle chimes if that helps you stay focused.
Office/Public-Friendly Option:
This one can be done anywhere, and no one ever needs to know!
(3) Cold Water Reset
Sam, a student, couldn’t stop doomscrolling late at night. We talked about splashing cold water on her face for 20 seconds, and she sent me a message saying, “It snapped me out of the spiral,” she said. “It was like my brain rebooted.”
Why It Works:
Cold exposure triggers the ‘dive reflex,’ a built-in survival mechanism that tells your body to conserve energy. This slows your heart rate, redirects blood flow toward vital organs, and shifts your nervous system toward a parasympathetic (calm and restorative) state. It’s like pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete for your stress response — a full-body reboot. Even a few seconds of cold water can break the cycle of racing thoughts, lower stress hormones, and leave you feeling more focused and steady.
Try this:
🌊 Splash your face with cold water for 20–30 seconds.
🌊 Dunk your hands or wrists into a bowl of icy water.
🌊 Hold a cold pack against your face or neck.
🌊 End your shower with 30 seconds of cold water.
Office/Public-Friendly Option:
Run cold water over your wrists in the bathroom or hold a cold water bottle against the back of your neck for 20 seconds.
(4) Ground Yourself with Your Senses
Alex, a caregiver, felt their thoughts spin every time they read the news ao we talked about the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise: name 5 things you see, 4 things you touch, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell, and 1 you taste. “It pulled me out of my head and back into my body,” Alex said.
Why It Works:
Grounding pulls you out of anxious ‘what ifs’ and back into the present. By using multiple senses, you engage the rational part of the brain — the prefrontal cortex — which helps quiet the fear centers that fuel spiralling thoughts. This sensory input acts like an anchor, reminding your nervous system that right now, in this exact moment, you are safe. Over time, grounding can train your brain to return to the present more quickly, making it a powerful tool for interrupting worry loops and easing that on-edge feeling.
Try this:
🌀 Keep a small grounding object (smooth stone, textured fabric) in your pocket.
🌀 Pair with slow breathing to deepen the effect.
🌀 In a rush, just notice 3 things you see and 3 you hear — even a “mini grounding” works.
Office/Public-Friendly Option:
This is another do anywhere tip! Look around your workspace and silently name five things you can see. Feel the chair beneath you, your feet on the floor, your pen in your hand — quick grounding without leaving your desk.
(5) Slow, Gentle Movement
Sara, on a stress leave and recovering from burnout, stopped pushing herself to “power through” stress with hard workouts and switched to gentle walks and stretching. “It was the first time in months I felt my body exhale,” she said. “I stopped feeling like I was running from everything.”
Why It Works:
Gentle movement releases muscle tension, increases circulation, and gives your body a non-threatening way to burn off stress hormones like adrenaline. Unlike high-intensity workouts, it doesn’t spike cortisol further — instead, it signals to your brain that movement is safe and that you are not in immediate danger. This helps shift your nervous system from fight-or-flight into a more balanced state. Over time, these slow, mindful movements can retrain your body to associate motion with safety, building resilience so future stress feels easier to recover from.
Try this:
🧘♀️ Take a slow 10-minute walk and focus on the sound of your footsteps.
🧘♀️ Try a 5-minute yoga video or child’s pose with deep breathing.
🧘♀️ Do gentle neck and shoulder rolls.
🧘♀️ Try a simple stretch flow. Reach your arms overhead, twist gently side to side, and bend forward to let your head and arms hang heavy — like you’re wringing out the day.
Office/Public-Friendly Option:
Stand up and stretch your arms overhead, roll your shoulders, or do ankle circles under your desk. Micro-movement counts.
(6) Laugh Like You Mean It
Ben, a paramedic, was feeling exhausted all the time at work and not like himself. We always have a good laugh when he’s in the office, so we talked about keeping a playlist of comedy clips on his phone. After tough calls — and after reading heartbreaking headlines — he’d watch one before heading to the next shift. “Laughter is my reset button,” he said. “It reminds me the world isn’t all bad.” and he started feeling more like himself and energized.
Why It Works:
Laughter releases endorphins, boosts oxygen intake, and lowers stress hormones — but it does more than just make you feel good. It literally shifts your physiology, relaxing tense muscles, improving circulation, and giving your brain a hit of feel-good chemicals that act like a natural antidepressant. This combination helps your nervous system transition from hypervigilance into a state of connection and safety, which is why you often feel lighter and more open after a good laugh. Even ‘fake’ laughter can trick the brain into starting this process, which is why laughter yoga and intentional giggling can be surprisingly powerful stress resets.
Try this:
🤣 Save your favourite comedy clips, memes, or whatever makes you laugh in one folder for easy access. I have a 7-second video of my beloved old dog, Mags, participating in a weiner dog race that always works for me. (see below and try not to smile I challenge you!)
🤣 Try “fake laughing” for 30 seconds (yes, really) — your brain doesn’t know the difference.
🤣 Watch stand-up or listen to a funny podcast when you feel stressed.
Office/Public-Friendly Option:
Scroll through a memes folder or group chat that always makes you chuckle — even a 30-second laugh break can shift your whole state.
(7) Create a Tiny End-of-Day Ritual
Lena, a teacher, started lighting a candle each night and writing down three things she wanted to release before bed — worries, frustrations, the news story she couldn’t stop thinking about. “Blowing out the candle felt like permission to rest,” she said.
Why It Works:
Rituals give your nervous system a predictable signal: ‘The day is over. You can stand down.’ They work because the brain loves patterns — familiar, repeated actions cue your body to shift gears. Rituals engage the senses (sight, smell, touch, even sound) which are deeply soothing when your system is on high alert. Over time, these cues become like a shortcut, training your nervous system to relax more quickly. Whether it’s lighting a candle, tidying your desk, or brewing tea the same way each night, the repetition tells your body: it’s safe to soften and transition from doing to resting.
Try this:
🕯️ Light a candle and pair it with three slow breaths.
🕯️ Write down what you’re letting go of, then crumple or tear the paper.
🕯️ Play the same calming playlist each night to signal bedtime.
🕯️ Make tea slowly and notice the sounds and smells — turn it into a mini ceremony.
Office/Public-Friendly Option:
Create a “shut-down ritual” at the end of your workday — close all browser tabs, tidy your desk, take three slow breaths, then leave. It tells your brain: work is done.
(8) Invite Someone Else to Hold It Together
Mark, an entrepreneur, was starting to experience panic attacks that he felt coming on when he began to feel overwhelmed. We talked about reaching out to text his partner whenever the pressure felt too heavy: “Today is a lot.” Just sharing this made him feel less alone — and his body would relax almost immediately.
Why It Works:
Human connection is one of the strongest regulators of the nervous system. When you feel seen, heard, and understood, your brain gets the message: you are not in danger, you are not alone. This sense of safety quiets the amygdala (your brain’s alarm center), lowers stress hormones, and allows the body to shift out of fight-or-flight and into a state of calm and connection. Even a simple text, a few minutes of eye contact, or hearing someone’s voice can be enough to trigger this response. Over time, regularly reaching out for support helps train your nervous system to recover from stress more quickly and reminds you that you don’t have to carry everything by yourself.
Try this:
♥️ Send a simple text: “Today feels heavy.”
♥️ Leave a voice note instead of typing — your own voice helps regulate you.
♥️ Schedule regular “check-ins” with a trusted friend where no one tries to fix anything, just listens.
Office/Public-Friendly Option:
If you can’t text in the moment, jot down a quick note “Feeling overwhelmed” and plan to share it with someone you trust later. The act of naming it helps release tension.
Bonus Reset: Get a Tonal Adjustment (lol you know I had to save the best for last)
Maya, who had been feeling like her nervous system was “stuck on high alert,” came in for a gentle tonal adjustment after a week of bad news and sleepless nights. “It was like my whole body took its first real breath in days,” she said. “I left feeling calmer, clearer, and less like I was bracing for the next thing to go wrong.”
Why It Works:
Tonal chiropractic adjustments help release stored tension and restore clearer communication between the brain and body. This gentle approach works directly with the nervous system, signalling it to shift out of a chronic fight-or-flight state and back toward balance. When your nervous system can process stress more effectively, you’re less likely to stay ‘stuck on high alert’ — which means fewer stress-related symptoms like tight shoulders, shallow breathing, or racing thoughts. Over time, regular tonal adjustments can help train your body to return to a calm, regulated state more quickly after stressful events, building resiliency so you can handle life’s ups and downs with more ease.
Try this:
✨ Schedule an extra adjustment on a week that feels particularly stressful.
✨ Pair your adjustment with one of the other resets (like grounding or box breathing) to deepen the effect - ask me which would be best for you.
✨ Notice how your body feels before and after — this builds awareness of your own stress patterns.
You Only Need One Step
You don’t have to do all eight — even one is enough to create a shift.
When you take a moment to shake, breathe, ground, or connect, you’re sending a powerful message to your body:
you are safe enough to soften
safe enough to take a breath
safe enough to keep going
These small resets add up over time, training your nervous system to recover more quickly from stress and helping you build resilience.
In a world that often feels like too much, offering yourself even a single moment of calm is an act of self-care and strength — and sometimes that tiny pause is all you need to change the course of your day.
