Simple Ways To Give Your Nervous System A Well-Earned Break

Your nervous system is incredibly important. It’s formed of your brain, spinal cord, and nerves, without which you wouldn’t be around. So, taking care of it is essential, especially when you don’t feel like you’re at the top of your game. The more care you show it, the likelier you are to stay healthy and avoid any unfortunate impacts on your physical or mental well-being.

Of course, stuff like this is always easier said than done, especially when you have a lot on your plate. Hopefully, though, once you know some of the simple ways to give your nervous system a well-earned break, it won’t feel like such a challenge. That way, you can continue to tackle life without your nervous system fighting against you.

Weight can be a big help, from weightlifting to weighted blankets

Rest and recuperation are often touted as the best things for looking after yourself. However, when it comes to your nervous system, one way you can help yourself is by exercising. In particular, lifting weights, with studies indicating that this activity can improve body awareness and proprioceptive feedback. If you’re not familiar with the latter, this is something that can have a calming, organizing effect on your brain. Weight, in general, seems to be good for your nervous system. So, if you don’t want to hit the gym, lying under a weighted blanket or cuddling with a loved one could also help you out.

Neurogenic tremoring could help you shake away some trauma

You know, Taylor Swift might have been on to something when she advised us to “shake it off.” Studies in the past have suggested that shaking can do a lot of good for releasing bad energy from the nervous system. When you go through things like trauma, it can have a significant impact on this part of the body. However, if you do something known as neurogenic tremoring, you could find that such difficult experiences don’t impact you as negatively. It’s something that’s reportedly quite common with animals, which is why you might see a dog shake themselves if they have a run-in with a more vicious canine.

Warm baths and other heat sources could help your nervous system

Not everyone loves the heat. However, there’s something quite cozy and relaxing about warming up in a nice hot bath. There’s a good reason for this, and it’s seemingly linked to helping your nervous system out. A hot bath can apparently reduce inflammation and regulate blood sugar, while saunas could be capable of increasing endorphins. Even heating pads can be good for your nervous system, with research finding that they sometimes help to lower anxiety and distress in certain circumstances. So, if you need an excuse for a nice hot bubble bath, just say you’re trying to do right by your nervous system.

Consuming healthy fats could actually protect your nervous system

Normally, looking after yourself means being more careful about what you eat. However, that doesn’t mean you have to avoid things like fat. As long as the fat you’re eating is healthy, you could actually do yourself a lot of favors. That’s because this stuff is good for your nervous system, as it apparently protects the myelin that covers your nerve cells. The less healthy fat you eat, the likelier you are to experience demyelination, which is where the myelin erodes and puts your nervous system in more danger. So, it’s well worth eating things like nuts, avocados, certain fish, and clarified butter to stop this from happening.

Take the time to just do nothing with your day

If you really want to do right by your nervous system, sometimes you just have to do nothing at all. When we think of rest and relaxation, that often involves lounging on the couch and watching TV, playing video games, or scrolling through social media. However, this doesn’t rest your nervous system properly. If you’re unable to sit or lie there and really just do nothing, we’d recommend opting for low-stimulation activities like meditation, doodling, listening to music, or forest bathing. By making time in the day to do nothing, you could do wonders for your nervous system.

Use a tracking exercise to calm yourself and feel more grounded

Another way you can try to make the most of not really doing anything is by engaging in a tracking exercise. This is where you focus on your surroundings and use that to calm yourself down and help yourself to feel more present and grounded. All it involves is finding a comfortable place to sit and slowly looking around the room you’re in. Whenever your eyes land on a specific object, say what it is out loud and just keep doing this until you feel like you’re in a calmer place. It might seem too simple, but it can be quite effective.

A healthy nervous system can have a huge impact on your quality of life. So, if you want to feel happier and more relaxed, the simple ways to give your nervous system a well-earned break could be all you need.