A Chinese Medicine Perspective, and 7 Ways to Support Your Nervous System Right Now

There are moments in history when it feels impossible not to absorb what’s happening around us. You know, like right now!

The collective nervous system is activated.
The emotional field feels charged.
And many of us are feeling it — in our bodies, our sleep, our moods, our energy, and our hearts.

If you’ve been feeling unsettled, anxious, sad, angry, overwhelmed, exhausted, or simply off, you are not alone.

These are heavy times.
And it’s okay to feel the weight of them.

It’s okay to be mad.
It’s okay to be scared.
It’s okay to grieve.
It’s okay to feel heartbroken.
And it’s okay to deeply desire goodness, justice, safety, compassion, and humanity in our world.

None of this means you’re weak.
It means you’re awake.
It means you care.
It means your nervous system is responding to what it senses around you.

And that’s exactly why caring for your nervous system right now is not optional — it’s essential.

A Chinese Medicine Perspective on Collective Stress

In Chinese medicine, we don’t separate emotional, mental, and physical health. Everything is interconnected.

When stress becomes prolonged — especially collective, societal stress — it most often impacts three organ systems:

Heart (Shen):Anxiety, restlessness, racing thoughts, sleep issues, emotional sensitivity

Liver: Anger, frustration, tension, irritability, headaches, muscle tightness

Kidneys:
Fear, deep fatigue, depletion, adrenal burnout, a sense of unsafety or uncertainty

When all three are affected, we may feel emotionally raw, physically tired, mentally overwhelmed, and spiritually unsettled — even if our personal life hasn’t dramatically changed on the outside, I think internally we are all changed.

This is the nervous system responding to a world that feels uncertain.

And the medicine here is not “toughen up.”
The medicine is regulation, grounding, nourishment, and emotional processing.

7 Ways to Support Your Nervous System Right Now

These are gentle, accessible practices that truly make a difference — especially when practiced consistently.

1. Create Grounding Daily Rituals

Your nervous system thrives on rhythm and predictability.

Simple grounding rituals might include:

• Warm breakfasts
• Herbal teas
• Slow mornings
• Evening wind-down routines
• Warm baths
• Early bedtimes

Think warm, slow, steady, nourishing.

These signals tell your body: You are safe.

2. Move Your Body to Discharge Stress

Stress is energy.
Movement helps it move.

Walking, gentle yoga, qi gong, stretching, shaking, dancing — all allow the body to release stored tension and emotion.

Even 10–15 minutes a day can dramatically shift your nervous system.

3. Let Your Emotions Move

This is big.

Crying.
Journaling.
Sighing deeply.
Screaming into a pillow or in your car.
Breathing intentionally.

Emotion that is felt can move.
Emotion that is suppressed gets stored — often as tension, pain, anxiety, or illness.

There is deep wisdom in allowing yourself to feel what needs to move through.

4. Lean into Connection & Community

Isolation amplifies fear.
Connection softens it.

Reach out to friends.
Have meaningful conversations.
Share meals.
Sit together. 

Cry together.
Hold hands.
Laugh when you can.

Your nervous system is wired for co-regulation.
You don’t have to do this alone.

5. Spend Time in Nature & Sensory Regulation

Nature calms the nervous system in ways nothing else can.

Trees, water, sunlight, fresh air, warm blankets, soothing scents — these regulate the senses and ground the body.

Even brief moments outside can reset your internal state.

Tip: Combine 4 & 5 - Hike with a friend :-)

6. Set Gentle Boundaries with News & Media

Staying informed matters.
Constant exposure overwhelms the nervous system.

Notice how much is supportive versus destabilizing.
Create intentional windows for news.
Balance information intake with grounding practices.

Your nervous system deserves care.

Stay away from media before bedtime.

7. Use Acupoints & Essential Oils for Emotional Regulation

One of my favorite ways to support the nervous system is through essential oils on acupuncture points.

These combinations work directly with the body’s energetic and neurological pathways to calm anxiety, regulate stress hormones, and soothe emotional overwhelm.

I created a short video walking you through three powerful acupoint + essential oil combinations for stress and anxiety, which you can watch here:

👉 3 Essential Oil AcuPoint Combos to Relieve Stress and Anxiety

These are gentle, simple, and incredibly effective — especially when practiced daily.

Self-Care Is Not Selfish — It’s Necessary

Caring for your nervous system doesn’t mean disengaging from the world.

It means staying resourced enough to show up with clarity, compassion, strength, and grounded presence.

We cannot pour from an empty cup.
We cannot serve, care, advocate, or love well from a dysregulated state.

Self-care, rest, movement, emotional expression, and connection are acts of resilience.

A Gentle Invitation

If everything feels like too much, start small.

One warm cup of tea.

A cozy blanket.
One deep breath.
One short walk.
One good cry.
One meaningful conversation.

Let this be enough for today.

You are not meant to carry the weight of the world alone.

And you are so deeply supported.

Meet me here and let me know how you’re doing.