How to Reset and Regulate Your Nervous System Through Yoga and Movement

We’ve all had days where stress lingers a little too long, or where energy feels so low you’re practically glued to the couch. The good news is that you can use yoga for nervous system regulation to bring your body back into balance—whether you need to calm down or perk up. With the right mix of breathwork, mindful movement, and regular practice, resetting your nervous system can become a natural part of your routine.

Why You Need a Nervous System Reset

Chronic stress can keep your nervous system on high alert, which over time makes it hard to fully relax. The body's fight-or-flight mode kicks in more often than it should, leaving you feeling anxious, tense, or completely drained. A nervous system reset helps shift your body from this over-activated state back into balance.

But it’s not just about chilling out. The nervous system reset is also about making your body more resilient, so you can switch between states of action and relaxation smoothly. This is where yoga for stress recovery and breathwork for the nervous system really come into play.

Learn more about the nervous system and what it is in this blog.

Yoga for Down-Regulation (Calming the Nervous System)

When you’re feeling overwhelmed—like your mind is racing, and you can’t seem to catch a break—this is a sign of hyperarousal, where your body is stuck in overdrive. The key here is down-regulating your nervous system to calm it back down.

Yoga for nervous system regulation offers plenty of tools to help you out. Restorative yoga poses and breathwork for stress relief can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which signals your body to shift into rest and digest mode. Here’s how to get started:

Yoga for Up-Regulation (Energizing the Nervous System)

On those days when you feel like your energy is stuck in neutral—or worse, reverse—you might need to up-regulate your nervous system. This happens when you’re experiencing hypoarousal, a state where your system is under-stimulated. Symptoms of hypoarousal can include sluggishness, feeling emotionally flat, or even a sense of being stuck in a fog.

Yoga for stress recovery can also help in this situation, but with more dynamic movements to stimulate your nervous system. By engaging the sympathetic nervous system, you can give yourself a natural boost of energy.

How to Build a Daily Nervous System Reset Routine

Whether you're aiming to calm your system down or give it a little jolt of energy, the most important part is consistency. The more regularly you engage in yoga for stress relief or yoga for nervous system regulation, the more resilient your body becomes.

But don’t worry—you don’t have to overhaul your entire routine overnight. Start small, with just a few minutes of mindful breathing or movement each day, and build from there. At Heart and Bones, we offer programs and playlists specifically designed to help you incorporate daily yoga practice that supports your nervous system.

Additional Practices for Nervous System Regulation

Yoga is a powerful tool, but there are plenty of other activities that can help reset and regulate your nervous system:

• Mindfulness Meditation: Take a few moments each day to sit quietly, breathe, and observe your surroundings. Meditation is a great complement to yoga for stress recovery.
• Nature Walks: Spending time outdoors, surrounded by greenery, helps the body return to a balanced state.
• Rhythmic Movement: Tapping your feet, walking to the beat of music, or even swaying can help both up-regulate and down-regulate, depending on your needs.

Learning to reset and regulate your nervous system is all about knowing what your body needs—whether that’s slowing down or picking up the pace. With regular yoga, breathwork, and mindful movement, you can build a more resilient nervous system, better manage stress, and feel more balanced every day.