Most people don't realise their nervous system is stuck in overdrive until their body forces them to stop. A burnout. An anxiety attack. A period of not being able to sleep for weeks. The body has been sending signals the whole time — we just weren't taught to listen to them.
I've been teaching yoga for over ten years, and the most common thing I hear from new students isn't "I want to get more flexible." It's "I just can't seem to switch off." Sound familiar? Here are the five signs I look for — and the gentle practices that help.
You're running on empty but you can't rest. Your body is tired but your mind won't stop. This is the classic sign of a nervous system stuck in sympathetic dominance — fight-or-flight mode. Your cortisol levels are elevated, which keeps you alert even when you desperately need sleep.
Legs Up The Wall (Viparita Karani) for 10 minutes before bed. This single pose can lower your heart rate and signal to your brain that you are safe.
When your nervous system is dysregulated, your threat detection is turned up too high. A message that doesn't get replied to feels catastrophic. A minor inconvenience feels overwhelming. This isn't weakness — it's biology. Your amygdala is running the show.
A slow 4-7-8 breath: inhale for 4 counts, hold for 7, exhale for 8. Do this three times and watch your body shift. It activates the vagus nerve directly.
Chronic tension in the jaw, neck and shoulders is one of the most reliable indicators of a nervous system under stress. We hold our fight-or-flight response in these areas — bracing for impact even when there's nothing to brace for.
Supported Fish Pose with a block between your shoulder blades. Hold for five minutes and breathe into the front of your chest. The opening is profound.
Dissociation — that foggy, floaty feeling of not quite being present — is a nervous system response. When the system is overwhelmed, the brain can actually shut down sensation to protect itself. You might feel numb, spaced out, or like you're watching your life from a distance.
Grounding practices that bring you back into your physical body. Child's Pose with your forehead resting on the mat. Press your hands into the floor. Feel the weight of your body. You are here. You are safe.
A heightened startle response — jumping at sounds, feeling unsafe in your own home, always waiting for something to go wrong — is your nervous system scanning for threats that aren't there. This is particularly common after periods of sustained stress or trauma.
Slow, rhythmic movement. A gentle Yin practice with long holds tells your nervous system, again and again: there is no emergency. You can soften. You can breathe. You are safe.
Your nervous system is not broken. It learned these patterns to protect you, and it did its job. The work now is to gently teach it that the danger has passed — and that rest is not only allowed, it's necessary.
This is the work I do with every student, whether in a group class, a private Zoom session, or a simple digital guide. The nervous system responds to gentleness. It responds to consistency. And it responds to being heard.
With love, Allya 🤍
British Wheel of Yoga Qualified · Ras Al Khaimah, UAE · allyayoga.com
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