TLDR;
Your nervous system is designed hard to protect you, it's not “failing” you.
Regulation doesn’t mean being calm all the time.
It is not “all in your head” and it is not the whole picture either.
A deep breath is one tool. The bigger work is the small moments throughout your day.
Has someone told you to “regulate your nervous system” or “manage your stress,” and you have no idea what that means?
Recovery is confusing enough without advice that sounds like a social media trend.
Nervous system regulation is one of the most talked about topics in health right now, and although it is important to talk about, I find a lot of the content out there misses the mark.
Many individuals with persistent concussion symptoms experience nervous system dysregulation after concussion (researchers study this as Autonomic Dysfunction). This is when your body’s automatic systems have trouble settling (more on this below).
In short, it makes sense that you feel confused and overwhelmed. Because your brain is too!
What Is Your Nervous System and Why Do We Have It?
Your nervous system is your body’s messaging network. It sends signals back and forth between your brain and the rest of your body.
A lot of this happens without you doing a thing, like your heartbeat or digesting your lunch. That part is called the autonomic nervous system (the part that runs on autopilot).
It has two main branches. The sympathetic nervous system is your “go” system, often called fight or flight. The parasympathetic nervous system is your “rest and digest” system. These states are not on or off switches. Instead, a healthy nervous system moves between them throughout your day.
Behind all of it is your brain, and its number one job is to keep you safe, not happy or productive (which is difficult in today’s performance focused culture). One leading way researchers explain this is that your brain uses past experience to predict what might be unsafe, so it can protect you. That is not a flaw, and it is a good reason as to why its so important to be kind to yourself throughout recovery.
Why is everyone talking about the nervous system?
The state of our nervous system greatly shapes how we think, feel and respond. Maybe your friend asks you a seemingly simple question and you snap, or burst into tears, and then wonder where that came from. If that sounds familiar, you are not being dramatic. Your system was already carrying a lot.
Often after a concussion, many people find their system working overtime (in fight or flight). Not only is this a very uncomfortable state to be in (no one likes feeling reactive or on edge all the time), but it can be harder to rest, sleep and recover. Your brain is putting safety first.
This is why education around this is so important.
We all know that managing stress is important for our overall health but it still feels invalidating and confusing when someone (especially a health care provider) tells us to “manage your stress’ or “regulate your nervous system”
It does not mean this is all in your head or that you are just too stressed.
What Happens to Your Nervous System After a Concussion?
After a concussion, the injury can disrupt the pathways that manage your automatic functions, like breathing, digestion, and temperature regulation. Your systems can also send your brain signals that do not match, like a visual and vestibular (inner ear balance) mismatch.
Then life adds more weight:
Fear that you might not recover
Feeling isolated from your community
Missing the hobbies that make you feel like yourself
Keeping up with work or family while sleep and pain are not cooperating
Your brain is getting mixed messages while carrying a lot of stress, so it turns on its alarm to protect you. Think of a smoke alarm that has become extra sensitive. Usually it goes off when there is a fire. After a concussion, it can go off for burnt toast. That is why small things can suddenly feel like too much.
It is no wonder your system is on guard. The hopeful part is that a system that learned to stay on alert can also learn that things are safe again, and that is what we will talk about next.
That is not a weakness, and you are not overreacting.
Your brain is doing exactly what it was built to do (keep you safe) with less reliable information.
This also doesn't mean there isn’t anything you can do about it but here’s what I think gets missed:
Regulation does NOT mean being calm all the time !!
It means communicating safety and being able to move between activated and recovery states.
Our sympathetic nervous system (activated state or “fight or flight”) is an incredibly helpful tool! It's the same thing that alerts you that a fast car is coming or that gives you a help you focus before a big game or presentation.
The challenge is staying in this activated state can become harmful.
I’ve tried all the things and still feel on edge
What I believe is most important for you to know is that it's not about perfecting your breathing, or downloading the newest meditation app.
Regulation is a skill we build through a consistent practice.
It's not just something you do when you’re in the thick of it.
I want to be careful here. Your nervous system is one piece of a bigger picture. Sleep, vision, balance, pain, mood and life stress all play a part too. That is why a team approach matters, and why talking things through with your care team is so important.
If you feel like you should be “better” at this by now, you are not behind. Concussion recovery is incredibly complex.
Next step
If you are tired of the mixed messages and want help making sense of what your nervous system needs, book a discovery call with me. This is a free call where I can learn more about what you’re working through, share how I might be able to help and what mental health support after concussion looks and feels like.
This post is for education and is not a replacement for medical care. Please talk with your care team about your symptoms.
