Polyvagal Theory: Understanding How the Nervous System Impacts Your Mental Health

Mental health awareness typically focuses on thoughts and emotions; however, the nervous system's role plays a huge role in how people feel. The Polyvagal Theory is an empowering approach to understanding how our nervous system affects everything from stress to emotional well-being. Learning about this theory can equip you with the knowledge to manage your emotional responses and feel more in control, especially during stressful moments.

What is Polyvagal Theory?

Polyvagal Theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, explores how our autonomic nervous system (ANS) responds to stress, danger, and safety in ways that affect our mental and emotional health. It introduces the idea that the vagus nerve, a part of the parasympathetic nervous system, plays a critical role in regulating our emotional and physiological responses to our environment. The ANS controls involuntary bodily functions like heart rate, breathing, and digestion and also affects how we respond to the world around us, especially in moments of stress or calm.

The Theory divides the ANS into three distinct systems:

Ventral Vagal State: This is the state we want to be most of the time. People feel safe, calm, and connected to others in this state. When the ventral vagal system is active, people can think clearly and feel grounded.

Sympathetic Nervous System (Fight or Flight): This system activates when people perceive danger. It prepares the body to either fight or run away. While useful in real danger, this system can become overactive when people are constantly stressed, leading to anxiety, restlessness, or feeling "on edge."

Dorsal Vagal State (Shutdown or Freeze): When threats of danger feel overwhelming, the body shifts into a freeze or shutdown mode. This freeze mode can result in feelings of dissociation, numbness, or a lack of motivation, making people withdraw from others.

Polyvagal Theory emphasizes the importance of the vagus nerve in shifting between these states and how experiences of safety or threat shape our behavior and mental health. When people feel safe, the ventral vagal system is active, promoting calm and social engagement. However, in the face of stress or danger, the body can switch to fight-or-flight or freeze responses, which affect both physical and emotional well-being.

How Your Nervous System Impacts Your Mental Health

Understanding these different states can help people understand why they react the way they do in stressful or overwhelming situations. For example, if someone has experienced trauma, their nervous system may be more likely to jump into the sympathetic (fight or flight) or dorsal vagal (shutdown) states, which can cause feelings of anxiety, depression, or emotional numbness, even when they are not in immediate danger.

Being stuck in these states of arousal can make it hard to connect with others, process emotions, or feel grounded. But the good news is that there are ways to regulate your nervous system and shift back into a calm, ventral vagal state.

How to Regulate Your Nervous System

If you feel anxious, overwhelmed, or disconnected, these simple and practical techniques can help regulate your nervous system and shift back to calm. By incorporating these tools into your routine, you can effectively manage stress and support your mental health.

Deep breathing is one of the simplest and most effective ways to calm your nervous system. By slowing down your breath, you signal to your brain that it is safe to relax. When you feel stressed, try taking a few slow, deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Grounding and Orienting Exercises: Grounding helps bring you back to the present moment and signals safety to your nervous system. You can do this by focusing on your physical surroundings—and feeling the ground beneath your feet or the texture of an object. Take your gaze away from the screen, look at your surroundings without judgment, and focus on noticing the room you are in. This technique, called orienting to your space, signals your body that you are in a safe environment. These techniques are beneficial anytime, especially when you feel anxious or disconnected.

Connection with Others: Social connection is not just a luxury, it's a necessity for keeping the nervous system regulated. Talking to someone you trust can help you feel safe and supported when you are stressed. This safe interpersonal connection is a powerful tool that helps activate your ventral vagal system, promoting calm and connection.

Body Movement: Gentle movement such as yoga, stretching, or walking can help reset your nervous system. Moving your body helps release tension and brings you back to a more balanced state.

Cold Water Exposure: Believe it or not, splashing cold water on your face or taking a cold shower can stimulate your vagus nerve, which helps calm your nervous system. Cold water exposure can be a quick and effective way to shift out of fight-or-flight mode.

Polyvagal Theory provides us with a map to understand our body's response to stress and how we can regulate it for better mental health. 

The first step is to learn to recognize when you are in fight-or-flight or shutdown mode, and then use practical tools—like deep breathing, grounding, and connection—to bring yourself back to a calm state. These simple techniques can significantly impact your daily mental health and well-being.