Can You Calm Your Nervous System? Science-Backed Strategies to Heal From Trauma for a Healthier You in 2025
The first step in healing is understanding how trauma affects us then counteracting those effects with practical, science-backed strategies.
When my nervous system gets activated, it feels like my body is vibrating. My legs start shaking, and a warning blares in my chest or stomach, telling me something is terribly wrong. The problem is, there often isn’t something terribly wrong—but my mind and body don’t seem to know that, so they gear up for battle.
Even if I’m just going to talk to my supervisor.
It feels like my body is a car revving in high gear—unable to slow down no matter how hard I try. Trauma and stress don’t just live in our minds; they settle into our bodies, shaping how we think, feel, and react. Their effects can linger, leaving us stuck in overdrive. But healing isn’t just possible—it’s within reach.
When I learned how trauma affects the brain and body, I realized I needed to figure out ways to calm myself more consistently.
Research shows we can rewire our brains and soothe overactive nervous systems through intentional practices like mindfulness, self-compassion, and grounding techniques. These tools might seem small, but their impact can be life-changing.
The first step in healing is understanding how trauma affects us and recognizing that it doesn’t define us. The next step? Learning how to counteract those effects with practical, science-backed strategies.
The Science of Slowing Down
Our bodies aren’t designed to stay in “fight or flight” mode indefinitely, but trauma can trap us there, keeping us on edge. However, we can gently begin the braking process by activating the parasympathetic nervous system—our body’s “rest-and-digest” system.
This part of the nervous system works like a brake pedal, slowing the stress response, calming your mind, and promoting healing. Simple practices like deep breathing, mindfulness meditation, and gentle movement can help ease you into this restorative state.
Think of your body as a car stuck in overdrive, speeding too fast. Activating your parasympathetic nervous system lets you gently downshift, allowing the engine to run smoothly again.
Why Every Small Step Matters
My philosophy on calming the nervous system is that we probably won’t completely reset it after trauma. But if we’re revving at 100 miles per hour, even slowing down by one mile per hour can make a big difference.
There are two reasons why this is important.
Small changes add up: If you slow your nervous system by just one mile per hour each week (or even each month), you’ll see significant improvements over time.
Crisis management becomes easier: The more we can lower our baseline when life is calm, the better equipped we’ll be to handle the next crisis. If you’re revving at 100 miles per hour and something goes wrong, you might rev up to 120. But if you’ve slowed down to 85, the same challenge feels more manageable.
Simple Steps to Calm Your Nervous System
1. Practice Deep Breathing
Breathing deeply is one of the easiest and most effective ways to calm your body. One thing I really like about breathing exercises is that you can do them anywhere, anytime.
Try this simple exercise:
Inhale deeply through your nose for a count of four.
Hold your breath for four counts.
Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of six.
Repeat this cycle for a few minutes, focusing on the sensation of your breath moving through your body.
Tip: If holding your breath feels uncomfortable, simplify by breathing in for five seconds and breathing out for seven seconds. The key is to keep your exhale longer than your inhale. This signals to your body that it’s safe to relax.
2. Try Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness helps bring your attention to the present moment, reducing the hold of stressful thoughts. Start small, with just five minutes:
Find a quiet spot and sit comfortably.
Close your eyes and focus on your breath.
When your mind wanders (and it will!), gently guide it back to your breathing.
Here’s a quick mindfulness exercise you can try right now:
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Repeat.
Get distracted.
Realize you got distracted.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Rinse and repeat for 60 seconds and see how you feel.
3. Engage in Gentle Movement
Physical activity doesn’t have to be intense to be effective. Stretching, yoga, or even a short walk can help release tension and calm your mind.
As you move, pay attention to how your body feels. Does the tension ease a little? Does your mind feel lighter? Movement isn’t just physical—it’s a way to ground and reconnect with yourself.
4. Use Grounding Techniques
Grounding helps anchor you in the present moment, especially during times of stress or anxiety. Sometimes, our bodies get activated because they feel like they’re back in the past. Grounding brings you back to the present.
Try this simple technique:
Name five things you can see.
Four you can touch.
Three you can hear.
Two you can smell.
One you can taste.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed at work or struggling with panic, grounding can bring you back to the here and now, where you’re capable of handling whatever life throws at you.
5. Practice Self-Compassion
Be kind to yourself as you navigate this journey. When I first started practicing self-compassion, it felt strange to me. But over time, replacing self-criticism with simple affirmations started to shift my mindset.
Here are a few examples:
“This work is hard, and I’m doing the best I can.”
“I deserve rest and care.”
“I’m not perfect, and that’s okay.”
Self-compassion might also mean taking breaks, forgiving yourself for setbacks, or letting go of the need to be perfect.
Consistency Matters
These practices are simple, but their power lies in consistency. The more you weave them into your daily life, the more your nervous system learns to trust that it’s okay to relax. With a few minutes each day, these small steps build a foundation of calm and resilience.
Not only are these techniques effective on their own, but they also become even more powerful when used together. When I feel my nervous system activate, I start with deep breathing to create space between me and my reaction. That pause helps me decide what I need next—often grounding to re-center myself and self-compassion to remind myself it’s okay to feel this way.
A Journey Worth Taking
Healing isn’t linear, and it’s not about erasing the past—it’s about being able to enjoy your present. Whether it’s taking a single deep breath or pausing for a moment of mindfulness, every act of self-care sends a powerful message to your nervous system: You’re safe now.
Don’t be afraid to tell yourself this—out loud or silently. It’s likely no one said it to you when you needed it most, but you can say it to yourself now.
You are safe.
Please remember: You deserve to feel calm, grounded, and at peace. With these tools, you can begin to reclaim that sense of safety and reconnect with yourself—day by day, moment by moment.