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Is Your Nervous System “Out of Whack?” 🧠⚡ Do you ever feel like you’re tackling life, rushing around, with so much to do? Well, I do — and when I recognise I’ve moved into that mindset, I know I have to do the very thing I don’t want to do… PUT THE COFFEE DOWN and STOP! Here are the red flags I use on myself. Ask yourself — do you feel:
If that sounds familiar, you might be dealing with something I call: 🌪️ Internal Rushing Syndrome (Yes — I made up this non gendered phrase. But it’s actually the work of Dr. Libby Weaver and she calls is Female Rushing syndrome.) see below for more information on her work It is an internal sense of urgency for no real reason. You could be lying on the couch, but your mind is sprinting. You’re technically “resting,” but your inner world is racing like you’re hours behind. So you end up just as exhausted after a rest day as if you’d been productive all day. It’s a kind of anxiety dressed up as ambition. We can convince ourselves, “This is just how life is right now.” But that’s not true — we can shift from “I have so much to do” to “Some of these things are only important to me, and it really doesn’t matter if I let them go.” You can learn to be calm internally while still being productive — if you change the internal state. That frantic inner feeling is your body’s response to adrenaline. Biologically, it’s just a chemical causing a certain vibration in you. It can feel really good… until it doesn’t. Over time, it drains your energy, frays your focus, and burns out your nervous system 🧠 The Invisible Hustle and Mental Load Signs your nervous system is out of balance:
It’s a chronic internal pressure loop. And it’s exhausting — because even if your body isn’t doing much, your mind might be carrying everything. Mental and emotional weight can tire you out even more than physical effort. If this resonates with you, I encourage you to read Rushing Woman’s Syndrome, a fabulous book by Dr. Libby Weaver. 👩⚕️ Rushing Woman’s Syndrome – Based on Dr. Libby Weaver’s Research Dr. Libby Weaver coined the term Rushing Woman’s Syndrome to describe what happens to women (and increasingly, men) who live in a nonstop urgency loop. Women are more affected because our hypothalamus is much more sensitive and reactive to stress compared to men — so we suffer more from being in a constant fight-or-flight mode. Weaver’s research shows this state impacts:
💡 So What Actually Helps? Here’s what I’ve learned about calming the chaos inside: 1. Mental Rest (Not Just Physical) You don’t need more naps — you need less mental noise. These are things that slow me down and make me feel present and connected:
2. Catch your Mental narrative That inner voice that says: “If I’m not achieving, I’m falling behind and I’m not good enough.” Notice it. Question it. But remember... It’s just a narrative you’ve created at somepoint — not the truth. 3. Regulate Your Nervous System You don’t need to “try harder.” You need to feel safer. Simply lying down with your hands on your tummy and saying “I am safe” might sound silly — but it can have a deeply calminpsychological effect. 4. Redefine Productivity - Slowing down isn’t laziness — that’s a myth you likely learned in childhood. It’s essential maintenance, and a necessary part of being fully present. Lets remind ourselves we are not here to conquer life — we are here to experience it. And we have nothing to prove 5. Assess What Habits Might Be Making It Worse - Some habits that are healthy when the central nervous system (CNS) is balanced can be harmful when it’s not:
IF YOU NEED TO (re)LEARN HOW TO ACTIVATE YOUR REST-AND-RESTORE SYSTEM (PNS — the parasympathetic nervous system), book onto one of my Iyengar sessions. I especially recommend one of my Rest and Restore Asana Workshops — see details [here].  Comments are closed.
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