What Even Is the Nervous System
(and Why Is It Ruining your Life)?
If you’ve been wondering what the nervous system actually is and why you’re always exhausted, overwhelmed, or numb, this will make everything click.
If you’ve ever found yourself Googling:
"Why am I always exhausted?"
"Why do I go from fine to flat in five minutes?"
You’re not alone.
And if somewhere in that scroll spiral, the words “nervous system” showed up and made you feel both confused and called out?
Same.
I had no clue what my nervous system actually did, let alone why it felt like it was secretly running my life.
Okay fine… I’ll be honest.
I didn’t even know it was a thing.
So in this post, we’re breaking it down, no science degree required.
In this post, you’ll learn:
What your nervous system actually is (in plain English)
Why everything feels harder than it “should” right now
What dysregulation really looks like, and why it’s not your fault
How this connects to burnout, shutdown, and the “meh” you can’t shake
A simple way to take your first step toward regulation (without overhauling your life)
And how it can support you if you're ready
I used to think I just needed to “try harder” or “fix my mindset.”
But no amount of vision boards can override a nervous system that’s stuck in survival.
Let’s get into it.
So… What Is the Nervous System?
Let’s skip the textbook.
Your nervous system is your communication and response hub.
It controls how you feel, react, move, breathe, and handle stress.
Think of it like your inner security system, constantly scanning your environment for cues of safety or danger.
Danger detected? You freeze, flee, or flip.
Safe? You relax, connect, and restore.
In a regulated state, you’re adaptive.
In a dysregulated one? Everything feels too much.
The Signs No One Talks About
Most of us don’t realise our nervous system is dysregulated, because we’re taught to normalise the symptoms.
But if you’ve been feeling any of this:
Constant fatigue (hello, nervous system fatigue)
Numbness, flatness, or “I can’t even think” vibes
Heightened sensitivity to sound, light, people (nervous system hypersensitivity)
Going from fine → frazzled in seconds
Trouble sleeping, eating, focusing, or even relaxing
That’s not laziness.
That’s not being “too sensitive.”
That’s your nervous system saying:
“We’ve been holding too much for too long.”
“Is This a Medical Problem?”
When I first started down this rabbit hole, I kept seeing terms like “nervous system illness” and lowkey spiralled.
But here’s what I learned:
While yes there are clinical nervous system disorders (like MS or neuropathy).
But for most of us?
It’s not a disease.
It’s dysregulation, from years of stress, burnout, trauma, hustle, or just… being human in this world.
That’s not something you need a diagnosis for.
But it is something you can support and soothe.
(If you’re worried, go see a doctor.)
How I Found Out It Was My Nervous System (Not “Mindset”)
I was doing everything right, routines, productivity hacks, 6am affirmations.
But I still felt overwhelmed, underwhelmed, and numb.
Deeply disconnected.
No clarity. No energy. Just this quiet ache like “I can’t do this anymore.”
That’s when I learned about nervous system regulation.
Not in a woo way.
In a “I have needs I’ve been ignoring” kind of way.
Regulation changed everything.
It made sense, even in caveman days, we were wired to survive, not thrive.
And when your system thinks it’s unsafe?
It shuts everything else down.
It was quiet literally life or death.
Want a Starter Kit?
If any of this feels a little too familiar and you want a grounded, fluff-free place to start?
The Overflow Blueprint → your entry point to building a life that doesn’t burn you out, it turns you on.
This full-life reinvention guide includes simple nervous system regulation tools, habit shifts, and soft structure, without the overwhelm.
I call it my Nervous System Install Guide.
Think of it like this:
Your brain is a device. You just need to install new software.
I’ve made it step-by-step so you don’t have to guess.
Build the life that turns you on.
Okay… So What Is Nervous System Regulation?
Here’s the short version:
It’s your body’s ability to come back to safety after stress, challenge, or activation.
We’re not aiming for perfection or some 24/7 zen mode.
We’re aiming for resilience, the ability to return.
You don’t need ice baths or silent retreats.
You need:
Awareness
Small, doable shifts
Support (not just self-talk)
This is what I built into my install guide because I needed it to be simple and I know you do too.
But What If I’ve Tried Everything Already?
That’s the thing most of us are trying to heal our nervous system with tools designed for the mind.
We read the books.
We journal.
We say the affirmations.
But the body still feels on edge.
Why?
Because your nervous system doesn’t speak words, it speaks safety.
Actions. Evidence. Results.
And guess what?
The nervous system is mostly your subconscious mind controlling 95% of your decisions.
And the subconscious? It’s not logical. It’s protective.
You can’t logic yourself into safety.
But this work? It meets you where you are.
No pressure. No performance. Just:
Breathing room
Small resets
Proof that you’re not broken, just burnt out
Think tools like evidence walls, mental rehearsal, scripting, and choosing yourself now.
The fastest way to make your system believe it’s safe?
Prove it.
And if your trying to make more money, you’ll need to learn how to hold it too, if so read this article next
Words I Needed To Hear
You don’t need to be at rock bottom to make a change.
You don’t need to be “sick enough” or “stuck enough” to deserve support.
But most women wait until it’s more uncomfortable to stay than it is to change.
If you’re here?
If your body is whispering “this isn’t working…”?
That’s enough.
Start soft.
Start now.
Start with a single shift.
If you’re curious about nervous system support without the fluff?
Grab The Overflow Blueprint here →
Your low-cost, high-impact way to stop spiraling and start feeling again.
Or if you’re not quite ready?
→ Join the Instagram Broadcast for real time journal prompts + mini resets
You’re not weak.
You’re waking up.
And that’s the bravest start of all.
Meg X
→ Read this next: Is your Nervous system stuck in survival mode?
Or if your ready to move on from your nervous system try why not learn about anxious attachment… if it effecting your relationships?
