13 Signs Your Nervous System is Dysregulated

How often do you wake up feeling exhausted, hit the snooze button, and struggle to get out of bed? Do you experience morning nausea and have trouble eating breakfast? Does it feel like your mornings are a chaotic mix of responsibilities and potential mishaps?

For those who frequently experience stress and find themselves stuck in survival mode, life can appear daunting. The never-ending to-do list keeps expanding, leaving you overwhelmed and prone to making unhealthy choices due to exhaustion and frustration. Here are some indicators to help you distinguish between a bad day and a dysregulated nervous system.

Startle Easily

When our nervous systems are being repeatedly activated, our amygdala, which serves as the brain's alarm system for stress responses, remains in a heightened state of alertness.

As a result, even minor stimuli can set it off. For instance, a ringing phone might provoke a sudden panic reaction, or a mere shadow in your peripheral vision could startle you, even if it's just your own hair falling across your face. When the amygdala is active, its primary function is to ensure the detection of any possible threat, whether it's a harmless stick or a potentially dangerous snake.

Hair Loss

One of the most common signs of long-term stress is hair loss. When the brain tells the body it is under attack, it starts to give all of its energy towards avoiding what appears to be a certain death. Consequently, anything not directly related to survival becomes a lower priority.  

During this period, the body prioritizes ensuring optimal blood and nutrient circulation to vital organs such as the muscles, heart, and brain, rather than maintaining a lush head of hair or trying to make a favorable impression on someone you recently met at work.

Chronic Anxiety and Feeling On Edge

Anxiety is a common experience for many people today, manifesting in various forms and at different times, often trapping them in a state of hypervigilance. When the stress response is triggered, individuals often find themselves on edge, anticipating that something negative is bound to occur. They may feel that their day is destined to go awry, convinced that something must go wrong, and their minds start meticulously calculating all potential outcomes. This constant mental churn is not only draining but also a significant energy drain, prolonging their distress and perpetuating an unending cycle of anxiety and panic.

Check out this article for simple ways to reduce chronic anxiety.

Food Cravings

A dysregulated nervous system occurs when the body remains locked in fight-or-flight mode. In this state, the body believes it's facing an imminent threat and, as a result, it triggers a response to stockpile calories and energy for the impending confrontation or escape. This explains the intense cravings for sugary or salty foods experienced under stress, as our bodies are actively seeking additional fuel in readiness for what lies ahead.

Weight Gain

When the body is gearing up for a life-threatening situation, it tends to develop cravings for particular foods and attempts to accumulate extra energy resources. This process is closely associated with the release of the hormone cortisol, especially during prolonged periods of stress. Cortisol plays a significant role in directing the body to store fat predominantly in the abdominal region. Additionally, it can contribute to inflammation and lead to swelling in areas such as the face and extremities, including the hands and feet.

Here are several ways to reduce inflammation, and in turn, let go of excess weight.

Tension

When you subject yourself to excessive pressure, it's common to feel overwhelmed and may push yourself too hard. This overexertion can result in muscle tension, particularly in areas like the shoulders, neck, hips, and jaw.

Stress hormones are intended to induce muscle contractions as a means of safeguarding vital organs and preparing for rapid action if required. However, when our bodies are under prolonged stress, these contractions can evolve into persistent tension, potentially causing painful muscle knots and chronic pain in both the muscles and fascia.

Trouble Sleeping

After a long day, do you feel like you're utterly exhausted and eager to slip into bed for a restful sleep, but the moment your head touches the pillow, your mind becomes unexpectedly alert, running through a never-ending to-do list that spans from the last year to the next seven months?

Alternatively, you might manage to fall asleep but struggle to stay asleep. Insomnia serves as a clear indicator that either your brain or body is grappling with excessive stress, which can result in additional problems impacting your daily life.

Afternoon Crashes

Experiencing the afternoon slump, typically occurring between 2 and 5 pm, is associated with a dysregulated nervous system. This imbalance can result from the brain being stuck in a prolonged fight-or-flight mode. It often happens when we don't consume a substantial, nutritious meal in the middle of the workday. In response to insufficient fuel, the brain and body activate the stress response, releasing hormones like cortisol to elevate blood sugar levels to provide extra energy.

Frequent Headaches

Conditions such as migraines, backaches, and light and sound sensitivity can often be attributed to an overtaxed nervous system. When the nervous system is dysregulated, it can influence stress hormones that heighten the body's sensitivity to pain, resulting in more frequent and intense episodes of discomfort. Additionally, elevated cortisol levels have been associated with chronic migraines and headaches.

Chronic Fatigue

Even when you manage to get a full night's rest, you may still find yourself feeling depleted. Prolonged exposure to high levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, can overtax the adrenal glands, resulting in fatigue and exhaustion. If you often struggle to muster the energy to face the day, an excess of stress could be a significant contributing factor.

If you suffer from a chronic illness like CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome), this is a good read to see what all stress can do to affect your chronic illness. CLICK HERE.

Brain Fog

Do you frequently experience moments where you forget what you intended to do as soon as you enter a room? Is it challenging to maintain focus, think clearly, and sustain productivity throughout the day? Elevated cortisol levels can have a direct impact on the brain's memory centers, potentially causing clouded thinking and memory lapses.

Tummy Troubles

The digestive system is exceptionally responsive to stress hormones. When the brain remains persistently in a state of fight or flight, it signals the rest of the body to prioritize essential functions over less critical ones, such as digestion. This shift in priorities can lead to problems like heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, stomach aches, and nausea when we experience stress.

For a deeper dive into the gut-brain connection, and how stress can cause gut issues like bloating, constipation, heartburn, etc, check out this article I wrote HERE.

If you find you are overwhelmed with a dysregulated nervous system, schedule a free consultation with me to see how I can help here, or check out this article 7 Reasons Why You Are Stuck in Survival Mode, for ways you can start to improve your stress response, regulate your nervous system, and aid your adrenal function.