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Nervous System Supports

Tools and practices I use to support regulation, sensitivity, and settling

There’s no single tool that “fixes” a nervous system — especially for sensitive bodies.

This page shares gentle supports I’ve personally used to help settling, regulation, and body awareness. Not cures. Not protocols. Just options that can support the body to feel safer and more resourced over time.

You don’t need all of these. You don’t need to do them perfectly.
Your body’s response is always the guide.

Some links on this page are affiliate links. I only share tools I’ve personally used and trust.

How I Approach Nervous System Support

I don’t work from a “fix the symptom” mindset.

I look at the nervous system as something that responds to safety, simplicity, and consistency, not intensity. Most of the tools here work not because they do something dramatic — but because they help the body soften out of alertness.

A few principles I come back to again and again:

  • Regulation over results

  • Gentle over forceful

  • Education over promises

  • Short and consistent over long and intense

  • Listening to the body over following a formula

If something doesn’t feel supportive, it’s not wrong — it’s information.

1. Breath & Nervous System Regulation

Breath is one of the most direct ways to communicate safety to the nervous system. Small, subtle changes can create meaningful shifts without overstimulation.

I tend to favour breath practices that are:

  • slow and nasal

  • longer on the exhale

  • rhythm-based rather than forceful

These kinds of practices are especially supportive when the nervous system is already sensitive, overloaded, or prone to going into high alert. Breath doesn’t need to be intense to be effective — consistency and gentleness matter far more.

Alongside simple self-guided practices, working with a practitioner who understands regulation (rather than catharsis) can be deeply supportive. I’m drawn to breathwork that prioritises presence, safety, and listening to the body, rather than pushing for release or peak experiences.

One practitioner whose work reflects this beautifully is The Ritual Skin Studio. Their breathwork approach is grounded, spacious, and deeply attuned to nervous system regulation. If you resonate with guided or in-person breath practices, their work is well worth exploring.

→ Related blog: Why Breath Is One of the Most Reliable Regulation Tools

2. Sound & Frequency Supports

Sound can offer gentle sensory input that helps some nervous systems settle — when used slowly and with awareness.

I don’t use sound or frequency tools as “healing” solutions. I use them as resonance and regulation supports.

Tuning Forks

What I use them for:

  • Supporting nervous system regulation

  • Grounding and body awareness

  • Helping the system settle out of high alert

What they are not:

  • A cure for migraines

  • A guaranteed pain solution

  • A replacement for medical care

In my experience, how they’re used matters far more than the frequency itself.

I purchased my tuning forks from PureFrequencies mainly because they include clear educational videos and a guided masterclass with purchase, which helps people use the tools gently and appropriately.

→ Related blog: Tuning Forks & the Nervous System: What They Support (and What They Don’t)

3. Movement & Physical Settling

Regulation often comes through subtle movement, not exercise.

For sensitive systems, this can look like:

  • Slow walking

  • Gentle spinal movement

  • Very light stretching or shaking

The goal isn’t to activate — it’s to discharge and settle.

→ Related blog: Why Gentle Movement Helps the Nervous System Settle

4. Sensory & Environmental Supports

Sometimes the most supportive change isn’t a tool — it’s reducing sensory load.

This can include:

  • Light management

  • Quiet or low-stimulation spaces

  • Temperature awareness

  • Creating pauses from constant input

These adjustments often make other tools work better.

→ Related blog: Supporting a Sensitive Nervous System Through Environment

5. When to Be Careful

If you’re in an acute migraine, heightened sensitivity, or nervous system overload, some tools may feel irritating rather than supportive.

A few reminders:

  • Start outside of acute symptoms when possible

  • Use short sessions

  • Stop early if irritation increases

  • Respect your body’s “no”

Regulation is not about pushing through.

The most effective support is the one your body actually responds to — not the one that’s marketed the loudest.