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There are days when I know I’m stressed before I’ve even admitted to myself that I’m stressed. My shoulders are tense. My mind is jumping from one thing to another. I’m checking my phone when I don’t need to check it. Something small happens and suddenly I’m much more irritated than the situation deserves. And then there’s that strange feeling of being tired but still unable to properly switch off. Maybe you know the feeling.

For a while, I thought relaxing was simply a matter of… relaxing. Finish everything that needs to be done. Get through work. Handle whatever needs handling. Get enough sleep. Then relax. Except there was always something else. Another email. Another responsibility.Another thing to think about. Another reason to say, “I’ll relax later.”

That’s what made me more interested in nervous system regulation exercises. Not because I’ve suddenly become someone who meditates perfectly every morning and has figured everything out. Definitely not. 😂 It’s more that I’ve started asking myself:

What can I  do when I notice I’m stressed, overwhelmed or stuck in my head?

And I’ve realized that sometimes the answer isn’t doing more. Sometimes it’s slowing down.

What Is Nervous System Regulation?

You’ve probably seen the phrase “nervous system regulation” everywhere lately. Instagram. TikTok. Wellness blogs. Podcasts. And I think it’s one of those terms that can start to sound like a buzzword when you see it enough. But the basic idea isn’t as complicated as some wellness content makes it seem. Your nervous system is constantly responding to what’s happening around you and inside you. Stress is part of that process.

The goal isn’t to be calm every second of the day. That’s not realistic. For me, nervous system regulation has become less about trying to never feel stressed and more about having a few practices I can reach for when I notice that I am.

7 Nervous System Regulation Exercises That Feel Realistic to Me

You don’t need to do all seven. Please don’t turn this into another giant wellness checklist. I’ve had enough of those. Pick one that feels realistic and experiment with it.

1. Slow Down Your Breathing

This is probably one of the simplest nervous system regulation techniques to try. You don’t need a fancy breathing app. You don’t need to sit cross-legged on the floor. You can literally be sitting at your desk. Take a comfortable breath in. Then allow your exhale to be slow and unforced.

Don’t worry about making your breath enormous or doing some complicated breathing pattern. Just slow down and pay attention. And I wanted to know if there was research behind this or whether “nervous system regulation” was simply another wellness phrase I kept seeing online. There is research worth paying attention to, although I think it’s important not to exaggerate what it proves.

A 2026 systematic review looked at nine studies involving 457 people who practiced slow breathing before bedtime. The researchers found improvements in self-reported sleep duration and sleep quality, although results from objective sleep measurements were inconclusive. The review also found that slow breathing influenced measures related to parasympathetic and sympathetic activity.

That doesn’t mean taking a few slow breaths will magically “reset your nervous system.” But it does make slow breathing an interesting practice to experiment with.

Read the 2026 systematic review on PubMed

2. Try a Grounding Exercise

Sometimes I don’t need another thought. I need to get out of my head for a minute. That’s where grounding can be useful. Look around the room. Notice what you can see. Notice what you can hear. Feel your feet against the floor. Notice the chair underneath you. Pay attention to the temperature of the room. You can quietly name a few things you’re seeing. The point isn’t to perform the exercise perfectly.

It’s simply to bring some of your attention away from the mental loop and back to what’s happening around you. And I like that you can do this almost anywhere. You don’t have to announce: “Excuse me, everyone. I’m regulating my nervous system now.” 😂 You can just pause.

3. Move Your Body Without Turning It Into a Workout

When I say movement, I don’t mean you need to put on workout clothes and complete a 45-minute workout. Take a short walk. Stretch your shoulders. Roll your shoulders back. Get up from your desk. Move your neck gently. Put on a song and move around your apartment.

Even standing up and walking around for a few minutes can give you a break from sitting in the same position while your brain is running at full speed. For me, this is much more approachable than thinking I need to “exercise” every time I’m stressed. It can simply be: Move because I need a change of pace. Not: I have to complete a workout.

4. Give Yourself a Few Minutes Without More Information

This one sounds ridiculously simple. But try it. Have your coffee without immediately opening Instagram. Take a shower without listening to a podcast. Sit outside without scrolling. Eat your lunch without watching something. Lie down without automatically reaching for your phone.

We’re taking in information all day. Emails. Messages. Videos. News. Notifications. Opinions. Sometimes I don’t need another video telling me how to relax. I need five minutes where nobody is telling me anything. And honestly, that can be harder than it sounds.

5. Write Down What’s Actually Taking Up Space in Your Head

This is probably one of my favourite practices. I’ve always liked having somewhere to put my thoughts. I even wrote about why I keep a journal in my handbag because apparently I like having a tiny emergency thought-dumping station with me. 😂 Sometimes a thought doesn’t need an immediate solution. It just needs somewhere to go.

Try writing: Right now I’m feeling… The thing taking up the most space in my mind is… What I can actually control is… What can wait until tomorrow is… What would make the next hour 5% easier is… I particularly like that last one. Not: “How do I fix my entire life?” Just: What would make the next hour 5% easier?

There’s research behind expressive writing too

This is where journaling gets interesting.

A 2023 meta-analysis looked at 31 experimental studies involving 4,012 participants and found a small but statistically significant effect of expressive writing on symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. Interestingly, some of the effects appeared during follow-up rather than immediately after the writing sessions.

That doesn’t mean journaling is a treatment for anxiety or stress. And I definitely wouldn’t tell someone to replace professional help with a notebook. But it does make sense to me why writing things down can feel different from simply thinking about something over and over. Sometimes I don’t need to solve the thought immediately. I just need to get it out of my head.

Read the expressive writing meta-analysis on PubMed

6. Notice What’s Happening in Your Body

This is where I’ve become more interested in somatic exercises for nervous system regulation. Instead of immediately asking: “Why am I feeling like this?” Try asking: “Where am I feeling this?” Maybe your jaw is tight. Your shoulders are raised. Your hands are clenched. Your stomach feels tense. Your breathing has changed. Just notice.

You don’t necessarily have to fix it immediately. Sometimes noticing what’s happening in your body is a useful first step before deciding what you actually need. And I think this is one of the more interesting things about nervous system regulation. We’re so used to living in our heads that we can completely miss what’s happening in our bodies.

7. Create a Tiny Daily Reset

This is probably my favourite approach because it doesn’t require me to become a completely different person. I don’t need a two-hour morning routine. I need something I will do. Maybe: Morning: two minutes of slow breathing. Afternoon: step away from my desk and walk around. Evening: write down what’s still on my mind.

That’s it. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s creating small opportunities throughout the day to check in with yourself.

What If Knowing the Techniques Isn’t Enough?

Here’s the part I think gets overlooked. There is so much information about nervous system regulation. You can find breathing techniques. Grounding exercises. Somatic exercises. Meditation. Yoga. Movement. Journaling. Relaxation exercises. And then you save 14 posts. And do none of them.

I’ve done this. 😂 So I don’t necessarily think the problem is that we don’t know enough. Sometimes the problem is turning information into an actual practice. It’s the difference between: “I know this breathing exercise.” and: “I did it today.”

That distinction is one of the reasons I became interested in having more structure around nervous system practices.

A Nervous System Regulation Program With More Structure

This is what caught my attention when I came across Neuro Monthly.

Neurotoned currently describes Neuro Monthly as a monthly program with focused practices, live support and a grounded routine to help people stay consistent with nervous-system-focused practices.

The Neuro Monthly program I’m sharing includes:

• Two live group healing sessions
• A digital workbook with practical exercises, education and journaling prompts
• Four recorded practices from trauma-informed specialists
• A new healing theme to work through each month

I like the idea of having a theme to focus on rather than trying to consume every nervous system regulation technique on the internet at once. Because that can become overwhelming too.

“Okay, today I’m supposed to breathe, journal, ground, meditate, shake, walk, stretch, cold plunge and regulate my vagus nerve…”

No.

😂

Sometimes more information isn’t what we need. Sometimes we need a simple structure that helps us actually practice. That’s what makes Neuro Monthly interesting to me.

If you want to take a look at it:

Explore Neuro Monthly →

Because I’m an affiliate, I may receive a commission if you sign up through my link, at no extra cost to you.

And I want to be clear about something:

You absolutely do not need a membership to start working on stress management.

You Don’t Need to Buy Something to Regulate Your Nervous System

Wellness can sometimes make us feel like we need to purchase our way into feeling better. You don’t. You don’t need an expensive nervous system regulation device. You don’t need a perfectly curated wellness room. You don’t need an app. You don’t need a membership. You can start with:

• Your breath.
• Your body.
• Your surroundings.
• A walk.
• A notebook.
• Tools, workbooks, guided practices and programs can be useful when you want more structure.

But they should be tools, not another thing you’re putting pressure on yourself to do perfectly.

A Free Way to Start

If journaling sounds like something you’d actually enjoy trying, I’ve also created a free Surviving the Stress Journal printable. It’s a simple place to get some of those thoughts out of your head and onto paper. You don’t need to sit down for an hour. You don’t need to write three pages. You can answer one prompt. Sometimes that’s enough.

Get the free Surviving the Stress Journal printable →

Frequently Asked Questions About Nervous System Regulation Exercises

What are the best nervous system regulation exercises?

There isn’t one exercise that’s best for everyone. Breathing, grounding, gentle movement, meditation, body awareness and journaling are all practices you can experiment with. The most useful exercise is often the one that feels comfortable, fits into your life and is realistic enough for you to repeat.

How often should I do nervous system regulation exercises?

There isn’t one universal number of times you need to practice. I’d rather start with something small enough that you can actually repeat. Two minutes every day is a more realistic starting point than creating a complicated routine you abandon after four days.

Can nervous system regulation exercises help with stress?

They can be useful as part of stress management and relaxation, but I wouldn’t describe them as a guaranteed treatment for stress, anxiety or trauma. Think of them as practices you can experiment with. If stress or anxiety is significantly affecting your daily life, it’s worth speaking with a qualified healthcare or mental-health professional.

What nervous system regulation techniques can I do at work?

You can keep it incredibly simple.

Try:

• Slowing your breathing for a couple of minutes
• Putting both feet firmly on the floor
• Relaxing your shoulders
• Taking a short walk
• Looking away from your screen
• Noticing what’s happening around you
• Writing down the thought that’s distracting you

You don’t need to disappear into a wellness retreat during your lunch break.

Are somatic exercises the same as nervous system regulation exercises?

Not exactly.

Somatic practices generally focus on awareness of bodily sensations and experiences. Some can be used as part of approaches intended to support stress regulation, but “somatic exercises” and “nervous system regulation exercises” aren’t interchangeable terms.

Does journaling regulate the nervous system?

I’d be careful with that wording.

Journaling can be a useful self-reflection and stress-management practice, and research on expressive writing suggests small benefits for symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression in some populations.  But I wouldn’t say that journaling is guaranteed to “regulate your nervous system.”

For me, it’s simply a practical way to slow down, organize what’s in my head and give my thoughts somewhere to go.

Do I need nervous system regulation tools?

No. Start with what you already have. Your breath. Your body. Your surroundings. A piece of paper. Nervous system regulation tools can make certain practices more convenient or structured, but they’re optional.

Is Neuro Monthly therapy?

No.

Neuro Monthly is a wellness program rather than a replacement for individualized medical or mental-health care. Neurotoned itself states that its programs are educational and not a substitute for therapy or medical advice.

If you’re dealing with significant mental-health symptoms or trauma, consider speaking with an appropriately qualified professional.

The Research Behind Some of These Practices

I wanted to include the research because I think there’s a difference between saying: “This is trending on Instagram.” and: “Researchers have actually studied this.” At the same time, research doesn’t mean we should turn every wellness practice into a miracle cure. Here are a few studies worth exploring:

Slow breathing and sleep

A 2026 systematic review included nine studies and 457 participants. It found improvements in self-reported sleep duration and quality after slow breathing before bedtime, while objective sleep findings were inconclusive.

Read the study on PubMed

Expressive writing

A 2023 meta-analysis examined 31 experimental studies involving 4,012 participants and found a small but statistically significant effect of expressive writing on symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. Some effects appeared during follow-up rather than immediately after writing.

Read the study on PubMed

Maybe the Goal Isn’t to Feel Calm All the Time

I think this is the part I’m still learning. I’m not trying to become someone who never gets stressed. That’s impossible. There will still be frustrating days. There will still be emails I don’t want to answer. There will still be moments when my brain decides 11:47 p.m. is the perfect time to replay something that happened three years ago. 😂

The difference is learning to notice when I’m getting wound up and having a few things I can reach for.

• A few slow breaths.
• A walk.
• A journal.
• A quiet cup of coffee.
• A few minutes without my phone.
• A guided practice.
• Maybe even asking myself:

“What do I  need right now?”

That’s a much kinder question than:

“Why can’t I just handle this?”

And maybe that’s what nervous system regulation means to me. Not becoming perfectly calm. Not fixing myself. Not adding another thing to my list. Just learning how to come back to myself a little more often. And honestly? I’ll take that.

Want to Start With Something Simple?

Get the free Surviving the Stress Journal printable →

Want More Guided Support?

Explore Neuro Monthly →