The Gritty Hands Mom

(And what to do about it!)

Your nervous system is the powerhouse of your body, the control center, the place where literally everything happens. Let’s be honest, if your nervous system isn’t working correctly due to, well, lots of things, then your body isn’t going to work correctly either. Wanting our body and mind to run smoothly with a dysregulated nervous system is like wanting a car to run smoothly with a busted motor. Like, can that even happen?

Which is why you need to look at your nervous system more closely. Chances are, a lot of what is happening inside of your body (and therefore happening on the outside) could be due to your nervous system not receiving the proper care it needs.

Let’s look at some common “signs” of a dysregulated nervous system.

• Fatigue
• Lack of energy
• Digestive/gut issues
• Attention and concentration problems
• Overwhelmed/stressed
• Irritable and reactive
• Chronic pain and muscle stiffness
• Sleep problems
• Hypersensitivity to stimuli
• Mood swings
• Anxiety
• Appetite changes
• Weakened immune system
• Decreased libido

I don’t know about you, but when I first learned about these, I was SHOCKED! These literally described everything I was experiencing to a T. Immediately I wanted to know how to help myself and start healing my nervous system so my body could actually work correctly.

Do you feel this way to? And are you like me and like, “k that’s me and now I want to know what to do because I’m tired of feeling this way”? I’m going to be honest (I say this on a lot of my posts), this is going to be WORK. You can’t expect to learn about your nervous system and heal it in one day. This is going to take months and it’s going to take dedication. But if you feel anything like I did then you are absolutely ready for it because living in the mud just isn’t going to suit you anymore.

So, what do we do, mama?

You are going to work on fixing what is broken. You are going to start taking care of something that you maybe haven’t taken care of before. These are my tried and true steps for starting to heal your nervous system, feel safe in your body and mind again, and start to feel like your best self:

• Breathwork (no girl, you don’t have to become zen and be a meditation master). You simply need to know how to take breaths or use breathing to remind your body that you are safe and to start your engine.
• Movement. Once again, you don’t need to be a gym rat or a pilates princess, but you do need to find some type of movement that gets your body flowing daily. This can be as simple as walking to stretching to weight lifting to crossfit to cardio to cycling….you name it. Personally, I go for a walk daily and alternate between stretching and low intensity, 15 minute workouts. I also play music throughout the day to remind my body to dance.
• Emotional intelligence. This is a fancy way of saying, “you need to start recognizing what happens to your body when you feel an emotion and have a plan to handle it and process it.”
• Food. When I tell you that your gut and your brain work together directly, I’m not lying. If your gut is gross then your brain will be too. Stop eating processed foods and starting eating real food (fruits, veggies, meat). And yes, I have a real foods meal plan for you and your family because eating is beautiful and delicious with real food.
• Supplementation (maybe). If you aren’t getting what your body needs from real food or you just lack some of the natural feel-good chemicals it doesn’t hurt to try supplementing. I’m talking mushrooms and herbal tinctures and vitamins and amino acids. Personally, I did a TON of research on natural proteins, hormones, bacteria, enzymes, and amino acids that our bodies use and found supplements that actually help. I mean, they helped so much that I was able to get off of all of my prescription mood and depression medications and feel better than I ever have. No, this isn’t the viral happy juice, this is supplementation that works in all the ways. You can learn more here.
• Engaging in healthy habits that release stress. This really is not a one size fits all. For me, that meant doing things that make me smile and laugh (playing tennis with my kids, paddleboarding, hiking, kayaking, skydiving, cold plunges, coffee dates with friends, getting outside whenever possible, laughing for no reason, waking up early to have a quiet time, reading my bible, prayer throughout the day, scheduling time with loved ones, the list goes on and on).

I know that there is at least one thing out of this entire list that you can do right now and start today. I also know how hard it is to get started, but I know you can do it. The very first step is recognizing your nervous system needs help and being willing to make some changes.

I have an amazing planner that essentially does this for you. It can be personalized to fit your own life and your own needs, but it ultimately helps you develop a plan to start healing your nervous system, make habits daily, and see results. You begin with identifying your symptoms, working on triggers, finding your calm, developing movement and meal routines, developing time pockets throughout the day that allow you to refuel and reset your nervous system, making checklists to keep you accountable, and tracking your results. You snag it here to start your journey today!

You can also browse more of my posts to learn more about how I regulate my nervous system and have healed my body from the inside out. Glowing up in motherhood doesn’t have to be a chore! It should be one of the greatest journey’s of your life!