100+ Ways to Support Your Nervous System

Explore movement, sensory practices, rest, connection, creativity, nature, healing modalities and everyday activities that may help you feel more present, supported and able to respond to what you need.

Nervous-system regulation does not mean remaining calm all the time.

Your nervous system is continually responding to your environment, relationships, thoughts, physical sensations and internal needs. Activation can help you act, focus, protect yourself and meet a challenge. Rest allows you to recover, repair and conserve energy.

The goal is not to eliminate activation. It is to develop more capacity to notice what is happening and respond in ways that help you return to a state that feels manageable.

Depending on the moment, regulation might look like:

• Slowing down

• Releasing restless energy

• Feeling more connected with your body

• Receiving support from another person

• Resting

• Setting a boundary

• Expressing an emotion

• Creating structure

• Doing something playful

• Finding enough energy to take the next step

No single practice works for everyone.

Meditation may help one person settle and make another person feel more trapped in their thoughts. A cold plunge may feel clarifying to one person and overwhelming to someone else. Social connection may be supportive one day and overstimulating the next.

Treat this guide as a menu.

Choose one idea based on what you need now. Notice how you respond. Keep what helps and leave what does not.

Start With What You Need

If you feel anxious, overstimulated or scattered

You may want:

• Slower movement

• Reduced sensory input

• Predictable rhythm

• Warmth

• Grounding

• Quiet connection

• Clear structure

If you feel restless, angry or intensely activated

You may want:

• Walking

• Running

• Strength training

• Dance

• Shaking

• Vocal expression

• A physical task

• Somewhere safe to direct the energy

If you feel numb, disconnected or shut down

You may want:

• Music

• Fresh air

• Gentle movement

• Temperature or texture

• Light

• A supportive person

• Play

• A small achievable action

If you feel lonely or unsafe by yourself

You may want:

• A trusted person

• A support group

• A class

• A familiar public space

• A pet

• Professional support

• Quietly being around other people

If you do not know what you need

Begin with basic information:

• Have I eaten?

• Have I had water?

• Have I slept?

• Do I need the bathroom?

• Am I too hot or cold?

• Have I moved today?

• Have I spoken to anyone?

• Is my environment overwhelming?

• Is there something I am avoiding?

• Do I need additional support?

Sensory Grounding

Sensory grounding directs attention toward what is happening in the present environment. It can be useful when thoughts, memories or emotions feel consuming.

Grounding does not require you to deny what you feel. It gives your attention something immediate and concrete to return to.

1. Use the five-senses practice

Name five things you see, four things you feel, three things you hear, two things you smell and one thing you taste.

2. Hold something with a noticeable texture

Try a smooth stone, textured fabric, soft blanket, piece of jewelry or another object you can examine with your hands.

3. Wrap yourself in a blanket

Warmth, weight and physical containment may help you feel more supported.

4. Change your clothing

Put on soft, loose or comfortable clothing. Remove anything that feels restrictive, itchy or overstimulating.

5. Wash your hands with warm water

Notice the temperature, pressure and sensation instead of rushing through the task.

6. Splash cool water on your face

A brief change in temperature can interrupt a spiraling moment. Stop if cold sensation feels alarming or physically uncomfortable.

7. Use a scent you associate with comfort

Try tea, soap, lotion, flowers, spices or another familiar scent. Avoid strong fragrances if you are sensitive to them.

8. Eat something slowly

Notice its temperature, texture, smell and flavor. Choose something physically appropriate for you.

9. Lower the sensory demands in the room

Dim the lights, reduce background noise, close unnecessary tabs or move to a quieter location.

10. Orient to your surroundings

Slowly look around and name where you are, what day it is and what is currently happening. Remind yourself of any immediate evidence that you are safe enough in this moment.

Grounding can occasionally feel frustrating or intensify distress. If that happens, stop and try something else. The VA similarly advises discontinuing a grounding technique if it makes the person more agitated. VA grounding guidance

Breath, Voice and Sound

Breathing and vocal practices can influence attention, muscle tension and the pace of an experience. They do not need to be forceful.

If breath-focused practices make you dizzy, panicked or overly aware of your body, return to normal breathing or choose a different approach.

11. Lengthen your exhale gently

Without forcing a large breath, experiment with allowing the exhale to last slightly longer than the inhale.

12. Sigh intentionally

Take a comfortable breath and let the air leave with an audible sigh.

13. Hum

Notice the vibration in your chest, throat, lips or face.

14. Sing along with a familiar song

Choose music that feels comforting, energizing or emotionally expressive.

15. Read something aloud

The rhythm and sound of your own voice can give your attention a steady task.

16. Repeat a supportive phrase

Try: “I am here,” “This moment will change,” or another phrase that feels believable rather than forced.

17. Listen to a calming playlist

Create one before you need it so you do not have to search while overwhelmed.

18. Listen to rhythmic music

A predictable beat may provide structure when your internal experience feels scattered.

19. Attend a sound bath

An immersive sound experience may provide a structured opportunity to rest, listen and step away from everyday stimulation.

20. Explore gentle breathwork

Choose a qualified facilitator who explains the practice, screens for relevant risks and allows you to stop or modify at any time. More intense is not automatically more effective.

Movement and Physical Release

Sometimes the nervous system needs less stillness and more movement.

Physical activity can provide somewhere for restless, angry or intense energy to go. The most supportive form will depend on your health, capacity and current state.

21. Take a walk

Walk indoors, around the block, through a park or somewhere familiar.

22. Walk without tracking anything

Leave pace, distance and calorie goals behind. Let the purpose be movement itself.

23. Shake out your hands and arms

Begin gently and notice whether the movement feels relieving, energizing or uncomfortable.

24. Dance to one song

You do not need a routine. Move in whatever way feels natural.

25. Try intuitive movement

Ask your body whether it wants to stretch, curl up, sway, reach, stomp or become still.

26. Practice yoga

Choose the style based on what you need: restorative, gentle, slow-flow, vigorous or strength-focused.

27. Try Pilates

Controlled, focused movements can provide a structured place to direct attention while building strength and stability.

28. Lift weights

Strength training may help channel energy into deliberate physical effort. Begin at an appropriate level and seek instruction when needed.

29. Run or jog

Repetitive forward movement may help when you feel restless and need an active outlet.

30. Try boxing or martial arts

Technique, physical exertion and concentration can provide structure for intense energy.

31. Climb

Indoor climbing combines movement, attention and problem-solving.

32. Cycle

Try an indoor class, outdoor ride or gentle trip through your neighborhood.

33. Swim

Water and repetitive movement may feel containing, energizing or restorative.

34. Stretch slowly

Notice where your body naturally wants more space. Avoid forcing a stretch to the point of pain.

35. Complete a physical task

Sweep, vacuum, garden, carry groceries, organize a room or do another activity with a clear beginning and end.

Rest, Warmth and Restoration

Regulation can include allowing your body and attention to stop working so hard.

Rest does not need to be earned, and it does not have to produce a measurable result.

36. Lie down for ten minutes

You do not have to sleep or meditate. Let your body be supported.

37. Practice yoga nidra

A guided yoga-nidra recording or class can provide structure for intentional rest.

38. Attend restorative yoga

Props and supported positions may make stillness more physically comfortable.

39. Take a warm bath or shower

Notice the water, temperature and temporary separation from other demands.

40. Visit a soaking pool

Choose a private or communal experience based on what feels most supportive.

41. Try a sauna

Follow the facility’s time, temperature and hydration guidance. Heat exposure is not appropriate for everyone.

42. Experiment carefully with cold

A cool shower or professionally guided cold plunge may feel clarifying to some people, but cold also creates an acute stress response. Do not assume it is automatically regulating.

43. Schedule a massage

Review the practitioner’s credentials, touch practices and approach before booking.

44. Try gentle bodywork

Explore an appropriately trained provider offering a style that aligns with your needs and health history.

45. Create a low-stimulation evening

Reduce noise, bright lighting, work demands and unnecessary decisions.

46. Build a restorative corner

Place blankets, pillows, books, sensory objects or other supportive items in one accessible location.

47. Drink something warm

Tea, cacao, broth or another warm beverage can become a sensory signal that it is time to slow down.

48. Rest with an eye pillow

Reducing visual input may help if light and constant information feel overwhelming.

49. Schedule unstructured time

Leave a realistic amount of time in which nothing has to be accomplished.

50. Go to bed earlier

Protecting sleep can be a form of nervous-system support, even when sleep does not happen perfectly.

Connection and Co-Regulation

Humans often settle through the presence of other people.

Co-regulation does not require someone to solve your problem. It can happen through a calm voice, a shared activity, safe touch, eye contact, laughter or simply not being alone.

51. Call a trusted person

Tell them whether you need advice, distraction, encouragement or simply company.

52. Sit near someone safe

You do not necessarily need to talk. Quiet presence can still be supportive.

53. Ask for a hug

Only when touch feels welcome and safe for everyone involved.

54. Spend time with a pet

Notice their warmth, breathing, movement and familiarity.

55. Attend a support group

Shared experience can reduce isolation and provide language for what you are going through.

56. Meet someone for tea or coffee

Choose a low-pressure setting where the activity is already structured.

57. Join a walking group

Moving side by side may make social connection feel easier than sitting face to face.

58. Attend a recurring class

Familiarity with the teacher, setting and participants can create predictability over time.

59. Volunteer

A clear role and shared purpose can provide connection without requiring immediate intimacy.

60. Spend time in a familiar public place

A library, café, park or community center can provide gentle human presence when direct interaction feels like too much.

61. Play a game with someone

A shared task can create connection without requiring a deep conversation.

62. Cook or eat with another person

Food preparation and shared meals can create rhythm, sensory engagement and companionship.

63. Attend a community event

Choose a gathering with a clear activity so you are not solely responsible for initiating conversation.

64. Tell someone what is happening

Naming your experience to a safe person may reduce the effort required to hide or manage it alone.

65. Seek professional support

A therapist, counselor, peer mentor, healthcare provider or crisis counselor can help when self-directed strategies are not enough.

Nature and Environment

Your surroundings continually provide sensory information.

Changing the environment may be more useful than trying to change your internal state while remaining somewhere overwhelming.

66. Step outside

Notice the temperature, light and air.

67. Look at the sky

Allow your vision to take in something larger and farther away than a screen or room.

68. Sit near water

Visit a river, fountain, lake or shoreline and notice the movement and sound.

69. Walk among trees

Choose a park, garden, forest or tree-lined street.

70. Touch the earth

Garden, sit on the ground or feel soil, stones, leaves or bark with your hands.

71. Watch an animal

Observe birds, squirrels, fish or another animal without needing to interact.

72. Bring nature indoors

Add a plant, flowers, natural light, stones or another element that changes the atmosphere.

73. Open a window

Fresh air and environmental sound can help interrupt the feeling of being enclosed.

74. Change rooms

Move to a different space if your current environment feels connected to stress, conflict or stagnation.

75. Take a sensory nature walk

Notice colors, textures, sounds, smells and movement rather than trying to cover a particular distance.

Creativity, Play and Joy

Regulation is not only about calming down.

Joy, curiosity, play and absorption can help you reconnect with parts of yourself that exist beyond stress and survival.

76. Color

Use a coloring book, blank paper or whatever materials are available.

77. Paint without trying to make art

Focus on colors, brush movements and the process rather than the final result.

78. Make a collage

Collect images and words that reflect what you want, feel or find interesting.

79. Work with clay

Squeeze, shape, roll or build something with your hands.

80. Write freely for ten minutes

Let the writing be private, messy and unfinished.

81. Journal from a prompt

Try: “What does my body need?” or “What would make this moment 5% more supportive?”

82. Listen to music you loved as a child

Notice memories, movement impulses and emotions without forcing an interpretation.

83. Do something you enjoyed as a child

Draw with sidewalk chalk, build with blocks, swing, skate, make friendship bracelets or revisit another safe activity.

84. Laugh intentionally

Watch a comedian, funny show or video that reliably makes you laugh.

85. Make something for another person

Cook, draw, write a card or create a small gift.

86. Try something new

A beginner class or unfamiliar activity can create curiosity and focused attention. Choose an amount of novelty that feels interesting—not overwhelming.

87. Complete a puzzle

Puzzles provide a contained problem with visible progress.

88. Sing or dance privately

Allow expression without an audience or expectation.

89. Create a joy list

Write down small experiences that reliably bring pleasure, comfort, interest or relief.

90. Schedule something to anticipate

A future class, walk, meal or gathering can create a point of connection beyond the current moment.

Reflection, Therapy and Emotional Processing

Sometimes the most supportive action is not distracting yourself from an emotion. It is approaching it with enough safety, time and support.

Do not push yourself into traumatic material simply because a practice is described as healing.

91. Name what you feel

Use simple words: angry, afraid, sad, ashamed, lonely, excited, numb or uncertain.

92. Separate sensations from stories

First notice what is physically present. Then notice the thoughts or interpretations attached to it.

93. Ask what the emotion may be protecting

Approach the answer with curiosity rather than judgment.

94. Write an unsent letter

Express what you need to say without deciding immediately whether another person should receive it.

95. Try EFT tapping

EFT combines tapping on specific points with focused statements. Some people find the rhythm and repetition supportive; evidence and individual responses vary.

96. Work with a therapist

A licensed therapist can help you understand patterns, develop coping skills and process material that may be difficult to approach alone.

97. Explore trauma-informed therapy

Ask how the provider approaches pacing, consent, stabilization and emotional safety.

98. Try a professionally facilitated support group

Group support can provide both structure and the recognition that other people experience similar struggles.

99. Set one boundary

Reduce contact, say no, leave an event, silence a notification or protect one area of your time.

100. Make a plan for recurring triggers

Identify what happens, what you usually do, what support you need and what alternative action you want available.

Spirituality, Energy and Meaning

Spiritual and energetic practices may help some people feel connected, held or oriented toward meaning.

You do not need to adopt a particular belief system. Use discernment and retain your authority over your own decisions.

101. Receive Reiki

A Reiki experience may provide a quiet opportunity to rest, receive care and notice your internal state.

102. Attend a Reiki share

Beginner-friendly shares may combine energy work with community, reflection or meditation.

103. Explore acupuncture

Choose a licensed practitioner and ask what to expect.

104. Practice qigong or tai chi

Slow, repeated movement can combine physical awareness, attention and breath.

105. Attend a spiritual gathering

Explore a faith community, meditation center, circle or gathering whose values feel aligned with yours.

106. Create a personal ritual

Light a candle, make tea, write, pray, move or use another intentional action to mark a transition.

107. Attend a moon or seasonal circle

These gatherings may combine reflection, intention-setting, meditation and community.

108. Use tarot or oracle cards for reflection

Treat the cards as prompts for noticing your own responses, not as unquestionable instructions.

109. Book an intuitive reading

An intuitive reading may offer symbolism, questions or a new perspective. Keep what resonates and retain your own judgment.

110. Visit a crystal or spiritual shop

Notice what colors, objects, meanings or practices interest you. Curiosity does not require certainty.

Everyday Foundations

Sometimes the most regulating activity is also the least glamorous.

Basic physical needs, predictable routines and reduced chaos can create more capacity for everything else.

111. Eat a balanced meal

Hunger and changing blood sugar can intensify physical and emotional discomfort.

112. Drink water

Keep it simple and accessible.

113. Take prescribed medication consistently

Follow your prescriber’s instructions and ask for professional help with concerns or side effects.

114. Create a simple morning routine

Choose two or three repeatable actions rather than designing an elaborate ideal morning.

115. Create a closing routine at night

Dim lights, reduce stimulation and repeat a few cues that the day is ending.

116. Write down tomorrow’s tasks

Move them out of your working memory and onto paper.

117. Clean one small area

Choose a surface, drawer or corner rather than the entire house.

118. Reduce one source of ongoing stimulation

Turn off a notification, leave an unnecessary group chat or limit exposure to content that repeatedly activates you.

119. Ask what can wait

Not every problem requires an immediate response.

120. Choose the smallest supportive action

When everything feels like too much, identify what would make the moment slightly more manageable—not perfect.

Build Your Personal Regulation Menu

Choose several ideas from different categories and write them somewhere accessible.

When I feel anxious or overstimulated, I can:

• [IDEA]

• [IDEA]

• [IDEA]

When I feel restless or angry, I can:

• [IDEA]

• [IDEA]

• [IDEA]

When I feel numb or disconnected, I can:

• [IDEA]

• [IDEA]

• [IDEA]

When I need another person, I can contact:

• [PERSON OR RESOURCE]

• [PERSON OR RESOURCE]

• [PERSON OR RESOURCE]

When I need professional or immediate support, I can:

• [PROVIDER OR RESOURCE]

• [PROVIDER OR RESOURCE]

• [PROVIDER OR RESOURCE]

You do not need one perfect coping tool. A flexible menu gives you several possibilities when your first choice is unavailable or does not help.

Explore Nervous-System-Supportive Experiences in Portland

Use the Infuse PDX directory to explore movement, meditation, sound baths, Reiki, restorative experiences, support groups, community events, creativity and other ways to care for yourself.

Browse Upcoming Wellness Events →

When Wellness Ideas Are Not Enough

Self-directed practices can be supportive, but they do not replace medical care, therapy, crisis support or treatment.

Call or text 988 if you are experiencing a mental-health or substance-use crisis. Call 911 for an immediate medical emergency.

If you are reducing or stopping heavy, prolonged alcohol use, seek medical guidance. Alcohol withdrawal can be life-threatening and may involve tremors, sweating, vomiting, seizures, confusion or other serious symptoms. NIAAA alcohol-withdrawal guidance

Infuse PDX provides wellness-discovery information and does not diagnose or treat medical or mental-health conditions. Individual responses to these practices vary. Stop any activity that makes you feel physically unsafe or significantly more distressed, and seek appropriate professional support.

Last updated: August, 2026