Wired but Tired?

Ever get to the end of the day and just crash?

Or maybe you feel “wired but tired”—as if your nervous system is ramped up and yet you have nothing left to give.

The problem *might* be that you aren’t giving your nervous system any chance to rest and reset throughout the day.

I get it!

Society expects us to be going non-stop.

It’s just that our bodies (and especially our nervous systems) were not built for that.

One of the best ways to support nervous system regulation is to build in periods of intentional rest to your day.

This can look different for different people.

You might:

✨ get up from your desk every hour to stretch

✨ set reminders to close your eyes for two minutes and breathe

✨ allow 5 extra minutes on your lunch break to sit in your car and listen to music

The point is to schedule rest breaks into your day.

These breaks act like a reset button for your nervous system so that you won’t feel so fried at the end of the day.

Have you tried this? What’s your experience?

The Goal is Not to Always Feel Calm...

Having a regulated nervous system does not mean you will feel calm all the time.

What it means is that your nervous system can respond to any given situation in a healthy way:

To be resilient.

When your nervous system is regulated and resilient, you’re able to:

✨ experience emotions without letting them take over your life

✨ notice when you feel stressed and come back to center

✨ rest without feeling like you need to justify it

Not only that, but the nervous system connects your brain to every organ of your body.

So with a regulated nervous system, it becomes easier to heal your:

✨ gut

✨ skin

✨ hormones

✨ metabolism

✨ mood & more

In functional medicine, we are always looking for the root cause and removing obstacles getting in the way of healing.

Nervous system dysregulation can be one of those obstacles.

Like this post ❤️ if you want to be sure to see more on strategies to support your nervous system!

We Weren't Designed for This:

Human beings are not designed to be in a constant state of stress.

Whether you’re always rushed for time….

Stuck in a pattern of worry…

Skipping meals…

Overexercising…

Living on caffeine…

Or feeling unsafe in your surroundings.…

Your nervous system will pay the price.

The initial physiologic response to stress is activation of the sympathetic nervous system (“fight or flight”).

The secondary response is cortisol production.

One role of cortisol is to keep inflammation in check, but when our stress response is repeatedly triggered, it can become dysregulated and allow inflammation to go unchecked.

👉🏽 That means nervous system regulation is an essential step in addressing any condition driven by chronic inflammation.

Slow down.

Rest.

Breathe.

These things signal the body that it is safe to heal.

Stay tuned because I have a series of posts coming up with tips to support your nervous system 🙌🏽

#elementsnatmed #nervoussystem #dysregulatednervoussystem #nervoussystemregulation #naturalmedicine

Appetite, Hormones, & Exercise: New Study!

New research on exercise and hunger control 🏋️‍♀️

If you’re looking for ways to manage hunger and food cravings, you’ll want to know about this new study from the University of Virginia that showed 👉 High-intensity exercise suppresses levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin more effectively than moderate exercise.

Here’s what they found:

➡️ High-Intensity Exercise

After high-intensity workouts, participants had significantly lower ghrelin levels and reduced hunger. The effect was more pronounced in women, with lower levels of acylated ghrelin, which is directly linked to hunger.

➡️ Moderate-Intensity Exercise

Moderate-intensity exercise didn’t have the same impact on ghrelin levels, and participants even reported slightly higher hunger than with no exercise.

Not everyone needs high-intensity exercise. We take a whole-body and individualized approach when it comes to exercise, hunger, and weight management. If you’re looking for support in these areas, we’d love to help.

🌱 Get started at our practice through the link in our bio!

#elementsnatmed #hiit #naturalmedicine #highintensityintervaltraining #moveyourbody #rootcausemedicine

Overnight Remedy for Congestion 🧦

🧦Ever heard of wet sock therapy?

This is an old-school, naturopathic remedy for stimulating circulation, easing congestion, and even improving sleep.

Here’s how it works and how to do it at home:

1️⃣ Gather the Goods: You’ll need one pair of thin cotton socks, one pair of thick wool socks, a towel, and a bowl of ice water.

2️⃣ Chill Cotton Socks: Soak the cotton socks in ice water.

3️⃣ Warm Your Feet: Soak your feet in a tub of the hottest water you can handle for 5-10 minutes.

4️⃣ Wring the Socks: Squeeze all the water out of the cotton socks until they are just damp. Wringing them out completely is a critical step!

5️⃣ Layer & Sleep: Dry your feet, put on the damp cotton socks, and layer the dry wool socks on top. Then, crawl into bed and let the socks work their magic💫

Wondering how this works?

As your body warms the cold socks, it stimulates circulation, which can relieve congestion and support your immune system. You’ll wake up with dry socks and—hopefully—a refreshed immune response.

Have you tried wet sock therapy?

Let me know your experience in the comments ⬇️

Disclaimer: While this is safe for most people, please check with a medical professional to be sure—especially if you have poor circulation or nerve damage.

#elementsnatmed #naturalmedicine #wetsocktherapy #immunehack