Dysregulation can occur in our body for many reasons. In today’s fast-paced world it is becoming more frequent and dysregulation can affect every part of the body from fertility to delayed conception and early pregnancy loss.
In the modern clinical landscape, busyness has become a primary epidemic, and the nervous system is bearing the load.
The combination of constant connectivity and technology has accelerated beyond the nervous system’s inherent capacity to adapt. The effects of stress on our body is often underestimated but its effects are wide reaching and unique to each individual.
This often manifests as a dysregulated nervous system, which presents through symptoms such as anxiety, fatigue, fractured sleep, mood instability, and persistent body tension.
The all too frequent request is for “something” to help with ……[insert your symptoms here]. However, to address these issues, we must look at the neurobiology beneath the symptoms and utilise lifestyle factors as a foundation for clinical repair.
Everyone is different which is why naturopaths look at you as a whole person, not just the symptoms. With a range of functional and pathological tests available, your naturopath will seek to identify the underlying contributing factors in order to address your individual needs.
A few tips to begin with include:
Sleep Hygiene & Circadian Rhythm
Circadian disruption is a major driver of nervous system dysfunction. Because cortisol, melatonin, and adenosine are highly sensitive to light and behaviour, the ritual of sleep is as vital as the duration.
› Action: Establish a wind-down ritual (warm bath, herbal tea, reading) one hour before bed.
› Morning Light: Get sunlight exposure within 30 minutes of waking to anchor the cortisol awakening response and stabilise the daily rhythm.
› Avoid Screens: Blue light suppresses melatonin, delaying sleep and reducing restorative slow-wave depth.
› Have dinner earlier, allowing three hours between eating and going to bed. Also, avoiding caffeine and alcohol in the evenings is recommended.
Screen Time as Intervention
High smartphone use is linked to elevated stress and trait anxiety through intermittent reward cycles and social comparison.
› Boundaries: Implement a 90-minute offline window before sleep and keep the phone out of the bedroom.
Treating these boundaries as clinical recommendations rather than “lifestyle opinions” is essential for recovery.
A further consideration relating to screen time and electronic devices is your total EMF exposure. Invisible yet ever present, these frequencies can significantly dysregulate your body.
Creative & Purposeful Hobbies
Absorbing activities, gardening, cooking, drawing, craft, activate the parasympathetic nervous system.
› Reduces ruminative thinking
› Builds a restorative sense of mastery
› Damps HPA-axis dysregulation [Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal]
Exercise for Neuroplasticity
Moderate aerobic exercise is a powerful tool for emotional resilience and a genuine anti-anxiety effect.
› Movement increases Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) to support neuroplasticity and upregulates GABAergic tone for a genuine anti-anxiety effect.
› HPA Damping: Exercise reduces stimulating hormone reactivity, directly calming the body’s stress response.
Food as NS Architecture
The nervous system is physically built from nutrients; a poor diet dismantles the substrate needed for function. What this means is that good nutrition is essential to provide the nutrients needed to make and maintain balanced neurotransmitters. If your nutritional levels are sub-optimal, supplementation with quality products may be recommended for a period of time.
› Key Nutrients*: Omega-3s form membranes, B vitamins synthesize neurotransmitters, and Magnesium modulates receptor activity.
› Seasonal Eating: Focus on oily fish (Omega-3s), eggs (B12 and choline), and seeds/ legumes (Zinc and Magnesium) to provide the biochemical building blocks for repair.
› Not only should we consume fresh, whole, preferably organic foods but also limit/eliminate ultra processed ‘food’ imposters.
* Note: that quality supplements from your naturopath are recommended to ensure you receive what your body needs. Please NEVER self-prescribe and always resist the temptation to order products cleverly marketed online.
