Reset Your Nervous System the Right Way (Fight, Flight, or Freeze)

Are you trying every calming tool you can find — deep breathing, tapping, meditation — but still stuck in anxiety, overwhelm, or shutdown?

If so, you may be resetting your nervous system the wrong way.

In this post, you’ll discover:

• What a dysregulated nervous system really is

• How to recognize which state you’re in: fight, flight, or freeze

• Why some tools may not be working (and could even make things worse)

• Simple, state-specific tools you can start using today to reset your nervous system the right way

• Why lasting results require a Christian brain rewiring approach (also referred to as limbic system retraining)

But remember — while quick resets are helpful in the moment, true transformation happens when you pair them with Christian brain rewiring — a process of using neuroplasticity in partnership with God’s truth to create lasting peace. That’s what I help my clients with every day, and I’d love to help you too.

What Is a Dysregulated Nervous System?

Your brain communicates with your body through the autonomic nervous system, which has two main branches:

• The sympathetic nervous system — like the gas pedal. It speeds things up, preparing your body for action.

• The parasympathetic nervous system — like the brake pedal. It slows things down and helps you recover.

A healthy nervous system moves fluidly between these two states. But when you’ve been through stress, trauma, or prolonged strain — physically, emotionally, or spiritually — that balance can break down.

That’s called dysregulation: when your system gets stuck in overdrive (fight-or-flight) or completely shuts down (freeze). This is where Christian brain rewiring comes in — helping your brain re-learn safety and resilience through the God-given power of neuroplasticity.

Fight-or-Flight: Stuck in Overdrive

When you’re in fight-or-flight mode, everything feels “too much.”

• Racing thoughts

• Tension or random aches

• Trouble relaxing even when you try

• A constant urge to stay busy — cleaning, scrolling, working

• Feeling revved up inside even when you’re still

This is your body’s survival system in overdrive.

Freeze: Stuck in Shutdown

Freeze mode is the opposite. Your nervous system slams on the brakes to protect you.

• Numbness or detachment

• Feeling heavy, foggy, or unmotivated

• Hard to get out of bed

• Lack of joy, even in things you normally enjoy

• Withdrawing from people or activities

It’s not laziness — it’s your body’s way of trying to keep you safe.

Why Tools Don’t Always Work

Here’s the key: using the same tool for both states doesn’t really work.

In fact, it can make things worse.

Stillness-based tools (like meditation) might calm someone in fight-or-flight — but they can deepen the shutdown of someone in freeze. Energizing tools (like exercise) might help someone in freeze — but overstimulate someone already stuck in fight-or-flight.

That’s why the first step is always asking: What state am I in?

State-Specific Reset Tools

Once you know your state, you can choose a reset that helps bring your system back toward balance.

If You’re in Fight-or-Flight (anxiety, overdrive)

• Listen to soft worship music

• Lie down and hum a song

• Practice soft-focus vision (gaze at one point, then expand your field of view)

• Breathe slowly: in for 4, out for 6–8

If You’re in Freeze (shutdown, numbness)

• Take a short walk outside

• Do gentle stretches or shake out your arms and legs

• Sing, laugh, or dance

• Add small bursts of movement throughout your day

These tools are simple but powerful when matched correctly to your state.

Quick Reset vs. Lasting Transformation

Short-term resets are helpful, but they’re not enough on their own.

If you’re not also rewiring the patterns in your brain that keep you stuck, these resets can become just another band-aid.

This is where neuroplasticity comes in — your God-designed ability to create new pathways in the brain. When you intentionally rewire your brain through a Christ-centered process, you can desensitize old threat responses and build new, life-giving ones.

That’s why my work centers on Christian brain rewiring (also referred to as limbic system retraining). It’s a faith-based approach that pairs science with scripture, so you can move from constant fight-or-flight into lasting safety, peace, and joy.

Ready to Go Deeper?

If you’ve been trying to regulate your nervous system but still feel stuck, there is a better way.

👉 [Watch my free training] to learn how Christian brain rewiring (sometimes called limbic system retraining) can transform your healing journey.

👉 Or [visit my program details page] to explore how we can work together. You’ll find affordable options designed to fit your needs.

You don’t have to live in constant fight, flight, or freeze. Renewal is possible — body, mind, and spirit.

You are loved — I mean it.