3 Sneaky Signs Your Nervous System Might Be Dysregulated (That You’re Probably Ignoring)

Sep 5

You know those moments when everything feels… a bit too much?
Like your to-do list is two seconds from exploding, your patience is paper thin, and yet somehow — you’re also oddly numb?

Yeah. That’s not just “a rough week.” That might be a sign your nervous system is dysregulated.

We tend to think of nervous system dysregulation as panic attacks, full-blown burnout, or total collapse. And while those things are definitely real, the signs often show up way earlier (and way sneakier) than you think.

So let’s talk about the signs you might not realize are your body waving a little red flag.

1. You’re Always “On” But You’re Not Really Here

You’re technically functioning. You’re showing up to work, answering texts, keeping the house semi-alive.
But internally? You feel foggy. A little detached. You’ve got a tab open in your brain that never closes. And joy, pleasure, or creativity? Feels like something that’s just out of reach.

This is a hallmark sign of what’s called functional freeze — a nervous system state where you’re not completely shut down, but you’re definitely not regulated either. Think: high-functioning autopilot. From the outside, no one would guess anything is wrong. But on the inside, you feel numb, irritable, overstimulated, and exhausted all at once.

🔄 What to try: Somatic check-ins during the day. Simple questions like “What’s happening in my body right now?” or “What sensations can I notice without judgment?” begin to disrupt the autopilot loop.

2. Rest Feels Uncomfortable (Even When You’re Exhausted)

You finally sit down after a long day… and suddenly you’re itchy to grab your phone, fold laundry, scroll mindlessly, or start planning next week’s grocery list.

Sound familiar?

That discomfort with stillness isn’t just your “overthinking brain” — it’s your nervous system not feeling safe slowing down. When your body has been wired for high-alert for a long time, rest can actually feel threatening. Stillness means there’s nothing distracting you from what you’ve been pushing down.

🔄 What to try: Instead of forcing full stillness, meet your body halfway. Try gentle somatic movement (like swaying, bouncing, or supported child’s pose) paired with exhaling longer than you inhale. Let rest be a practice, not a punishment.

3. Your Reactions Feel Bigger Than the Moment Deserves

Maybe it’s snapping at your partner for asking a basic question. Or spiraling into a shame hole because your friend didn’t text back. Maybe you’re crying in traffic over a random podcast episode.

This doesn’t mean you’re “too sensitive.” It means your window of tolerance — the zone where your nervous system feels regulated enough to handle stress — has gotten smaller.
And when you’re outside that window? Everything feels like too much.

🔄 What to try: Start identifying your personal cues that you're nearing your edge — jaw tension, holding your breath, people-pleasing, procrastinating, etc. The earlier you catch it, the easier it is to regulate.

Let’s be clear..there is nothing wrong with you!

Your nervous system is doing exactly what it was designed to do: protect you.
But when those survival patterns become your baseline — freeze, fawn, shutdown, push — you end up living in protection, not connection.

That’s where somatic coaching comes in.
Through body-based tools, nervous system education, and trauma-informed support, I help you feel safe in your own system again. So you can rest, create, speak up, feel, and actually enjoy the life you’re building.