Ep. 14: Wired but Exhausted - Taming a Hyperactive Nervous System

In this episode of the Sustainable Success Series, Nichi dives deep into the impact of a hyperactive nervous system—a state where the body is stuck in overdrive, running on stress hormones instead of sustainable energy. If you feel constantly anxious, wired but exhausted, struggle with digestion, fatigue, brain fog, or hormonal imbalances, your nervous system may be stuck in fight-or-flight mode.

We explore:

• What a hyperactive nervous system is and how it hijacks your body and mind.
• The connection between chronic stress, nervous system dysregulation, and conditions like POTS, hypermobility, PCOS, fibromyalgia, ADHD, trauma, and long COVID, etc.
• Why so many people post-COVID are experiencing worsened fatigue, anxiety, gut issues, sleep disturbances, and hormonal imbalances.
• How to retrain your nervous system to restore balance and stop feeling stuck in survival mode.

Key Takeaways:

🔹 A hyperactive nervous system = chronic stress mode. Your body is running on adrenaline and cortisol, making it hard to rest and recover.

🔹 Common symptoms include: Anxiety, fatigue, gut issues, sleep disturbances, hormonal imbalances, brain fog, and difficulty relaxing.

🔹 Post-COVID, more people than ever are stuck in this state. The global trauma of the pandemic has left many with lingering nervous system dysregulation.

🔹 You can retrain your nervous system. Healing starts with nervous system regulation techniques, including:

• Breathwork: Box breathing, extended exhales.
• Vagus nerve stimulation: Humming, singing, gargling.
• Gentle movement: Yoga, stretching, walking, shaking exercises.
• Creating a safe environment: Reducing overstimulation, adjusting lighting, using grounding techniques.
• Mindset shifts: Reframing stress and creating micro-moments of calm.

🔹 NEW! 🎉 Tame the Nervous System – 6-Week Program
If you’re struggling with chronic stress, nervous system dysregulation, sleep issues, fatigue, etc., this live and interactive program is for you! It includes:
✅ Weekly coaching sessions
✅ Tools to regulate your nervous system and build resilience
✅ Practical strategies to create sustainable success in your life

📌 Join the program & help your nervous system slow down, feel safe, and reclaim your energy - The link to find out more is:

https://nichole-morrin.mykajabi.com/ahhrp-program

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Previous Intro and Outro music: Inspirational Acoustic - Organic Harmony by Sonican; and Andrii Poradovskyi from Pixabay.  Current music: levgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay.  
Disclaimer: This content is general in nature and intended for educational purposes only.  It is not deemed as psychological treatment and does not replace the advice from your health professional or need for psychological treatment.  

Transcript

0:01

Welcome to the Sustainable Success Series, the podcast where my mission is to transform the worlds of those living with invisible conditions, supporting them to become their biggest advocates, begin to heal, and make sustainable changes to get back being too busy living. We explore sustainable success in health, relationships, and business. We raise awareness and we relatable stories from people just like you. Driven visionary people who dream of more for their life without sacrificing their health. or being stuck behind those invisible chains. Plus, the insights, knowledge and know how from those in the field. I'm your host, Nicky Moran. I've been through the trenches myself, through trauma, adversity and invisible conditions. I've combined my lived experience, my learnings and my diverse knowledge as a clinical psychologist, sustainable success coach, author, rural businesswoman and entrepreneur to transform my life. My vision is to inspire a global movement for a world where invisible conditions are understood, accepted and met with sustainable solutions. Empowering people to live with energy, purpose, and fulfillment. And I do this through the Million Scene Movement. Join me and be inspired, be curious, and become excited. This is the Sustainable Success Series. Welcome back to another episode of the Sustainable Success Series, where we dive deep into how you can create success without sacrificing your health, energy, and your sanity. I'm Nicky Moran, clinical psychologist, sustainable health coach, and your guide in navigating the tricky space between ambition and well being, so in today's episode, we're talking about when you're feeling wired but exhausted, anxious but frozen, constantly on edge, struggling with digestion, fatigue, pain or brain fog. It's when your nervous system might be stuck in a hyperadrenergic trap. It's something that is often overlooked or not even considered. Now I know that's a bit of a mouthful, so throughout this episode, I'll be referring to this as a hyperactive nervous system, just to keep things more simple. So it's something that I see all the time in the work, I live with it myself, and with the incredible zebras that I work with too. So today we're going to unpack what a hyperactive nervous system actually is, and how it hijacks your body and mind, how this state fuels chronic fatigue, anxiety, gut issues, hormonal imbalances, and even impacts perimenopause symptoms. Why more people than ever are stuck in this state, and most importantly, how to retrain your nervous system to finally slow down, restore balance, and work for you instead of against you. So I think that's something a lot of people can relate to. So for this episode, it's for anyone who feels like their body's running on stress hormones instead of sustainable energy. So, we'll get to it, we'll make a start. So let's break this down, so when I talk about a hyperactive nervous system, what I mean is it's a state that your body can get in when you're in chronic, high adrenaline, high stress mode, so it's like you're on all the time. It's like having your foot stuck on the accelerator but you're sitting still, or you're trying to go to sleep. So this happens because your autonomic nervous system, so this is the part of the nervous system that controls everything automatic. So it's like, So heart rate, digestion, temperature regulation and energy levels has gone into overdrive and it's, you can't shift it back into the resting state. So to start with the basics, what is it and why does it feel like your body is always stuck in overdrive? So the autonomic nervous system is responsible for all the automatic functions of your body. So as I mentioned, your heart rate, digestion, blood flow, breathing, energy regulation and more. And it's split into two main branches. There's the sympathetic nervous system, which is the gas pedal. This is your fight or flight response. It's activated when you're under stress and need to respond to a challenge. Then there's the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the brake pedal. This is your rest, digest, recover mode. It helps your body recover, repair and reset. And sometimes it's hard to get back into that state. The problem arises when the gas pedal gets stuck and you can't hit the brakes. Your body's trapped in this chronic sympathetic activation, so it's constantly pumping out adrenaline and cortisol, keeping you in this hyper alert, stressed out state. Some common signs that you may have a hyperactive nervous system include feeling constantly anxious, on edge, irritable, struggling with fatigue, but at the same time, you're that wired and you're unable to rest or go to sleep. Often there's digestive issues, there could be bloating, nausea, food sensitivities. or irritable bowel pops its head. There's difficulty sleeping, so sleep's one of the first things that goes. Your body refuses to shut down, even though you're exhausted and want to sleep. There can also be hormonal fluctuations, especially for women in perimenopause that have polycystic ovarian syndrome or other period related changes. There can be brain fog, difficulty concentrating or memory issues, and also there can be heart palpitations, dizziness, feeling light headed when standing up. So many people, especially those with invisible conditions, for example, and this is only naming just a few, POTS, hypermobility, people who've experienced trauma, people with ADHD, people with PCOS, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, or even just those with chronic stress. They can be living in this state every day. And the big kicker? It's not just about feeling anxious, it's about your entire system being overstimulated and struggling to shut off. And since COVID, we've seen a huge increase in people stuck in this hyperactive nervous system state. And it wasn't just the pandemic, it wasn't just because it was a public health crisis, it was a global trauma. So whether you had COVID yourself, whether you lost someone. Whether you've experienced long periods of isolation or you've lived through that collective state of uncertainty, your nervous system registers it as an ongoing threat. And for many, it's never fully switched back into a calm, regulated state. And we're seeing so many more people struggling with long COVID or long haul COVID, POTS, dysautonomia and other syndromes since COVID, all of which can leave the body in a constant fight or flight mode. So even those who've never had COVID have been impacted because the chronic stress, the fear and instability has put an enormous strain on people's nervous systems. And it's no coincidence that since the pandemic, more people than ever are dealing with worse anxiety, fatigue, brain fog, gut issues, sleep disturbances, and chronic inflammation. If you have felt like you haven't been able to get back to normal energy levels, mood stability, or even your health, you are not alone. But the good news is, you can start reversing this pattern, even if your nervous system has been on high alert for years, there are ways to train it to feel safe again, so you can actually start to heal, and start to thrive. So why does this matter? Well many of these conditions are interconnected, and because we want to feel better, we want to stop feeling the way we do, and all these symptoms share a common root cause. An overactive, dysregulated nervous system that keeps the body stuck in survival mode. But healing starts with regulating the nervous system. So now let's talk about why this state is so hard to break free from and what it's actually doing to your body. If you ever felt exhausted but still wired, constantly on edge, struggling to think, digestive issues or just this unpredictable fatigue, you're not imagining it. Your nervous system is in survival mode and it's keeping you stuck. A dysregulated nervous system doesn't just cause stress. It can exacerbate or even trigger a wide range of health conditions. So we see this in people with anxiety, trauma, PTSD, ADHD, autism, POTS, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, PCOS, Endometriosis, and the list just goes on and on. So let's break down exactly how an overactive nervous system can impact your body and mind. And for some of you, it might mean you're joining some of the dots from hearing this. So one of the biggest misconceptions about fatigue is that it's just being tired. But it's more than that. Nervous system driven fatigue is different. It's a deep cellular depletion that doesn't improve with rest. I like to explain it as it's coming from the core, like deep in your bones, it's coming from that core. It's when your body's running on stress hormones instead of sustainable energy. So when you push through, but you burn out, you may feel fine while doing something, but then also you might crash hours or even days later, or could be down for a few days after. So that's why so many people with invisible conditions describe feeling wired, but exhausted. Their bodies are depleted. But their nervous systems won't allow them to slow down. Then there's also anxiety, panic, overstimulation or brain fog. So if you have a nervous system that's in hyperactive mode, your brain's constantly scanning for threats, even when there are none. This creates an always on feeling, which then can end up leading to chronic anxiety and panic attacks. You might suddenly become hypersensitive to sounds, light, touch, noises. Your thoughts might race or have intrusive worries or this impending doom sensation like something's wrong. There could be brain fog so it might be hard to focus your attention and concentration. It might be hard to find words even though you know the words it's like you just can't get it out. Or retain information that you just heard. And this is when the brain's stuck in that hyper alert mode. Shutting down logical thinking, so from the prefrontal cortex, And making it harder to process information. Like this is also common with generalised anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, autism, perimenopause, POTS and fibromyalgia. Do you ever notice that even after a stressful day, it's like you struggle to form sentences or remember things? And that's because of that nervous system again. It's prioritising survival over cognitive function. So cognitive function becomes in second place. It's Your nervous system thinks it's not as important, so it's harder to do. And what about the gut? 70 percent of your nervous system's receptors are in your gut. So that means if your nervous system is dysregulated, your digestion is too. And when digestion shuts down, that can cause bloating, nausea, acid reflux, constipation or diarrhea. It's like that irritable bowel can start. Food sensitivities or unpredictable reactions to certain foods. Also can happen, but there can also be malabsorption of nutrients leading to more fatigue and inflammation because it's hard to absorb things. And when your body is in fight or flight mode, it can redirect blood flow away from the gut because digestion again is not the priority when your body thinks you're running from a tiger. So this is why stress makes gut issues worse. If you're stuck in a hyperactive state, even the healthiest diet won't fix it. Your nervous system must be addressed first. And then sleep. So sleep is one of the first things that people often notice goes out the door. It's like you might feel exhausted but unable to still go to sleep. Or you wake up in the middle of the night with a racing heart. That's your hyperactive nervous system refusing to shut down. So a dysregulated nervous system can disrupt your sleep because cortisol stays elevated at night which prevents you from going into that deep sleep. And your heart rate variability is often low, which means it's harder for your body to go into relax mode. Your body temperature regulation can be off, which can cause night sweats. And your body doesn't feel safe enough to rest. So it's like it's in this light, restless sleep state, because your nervous system still feels it's gotta keep you safe. And if your nervous system doesn't trust that it can power down, it won't. So So this is why deep nervous system regulation is a key for restoring healthy sleep patterns. And for women, a high factor of nervous system can wreak havoc on hormones because sleep disrupts the balance of estrogen, progesterone and cortisol. It's like stress hijacks hormones. So you might find irregular periods or worsened premenstrual symptoms. It could be hot flashes, night sweats, more mood swings. And your PCOS symptoms might become worse, so that's the insulin resistance, the irregular cycles and the fatigue. So you see this commonly with PCOS, perimenopause, endometriosis, premenstrual dysphoric disorder and autoimmune disorders. So chronic stress causes cortisol dominance and it suppresses reproductive hormones. So stress plays a massive part in nervous system dysregulation. It's like your body's already working harder to regulate hormones. And the hyperactive nervous system on top, the symptoms can get more intense. And then since COVID, we've seen a huge increase in people stuck in hyperactive nervous system states. So mentally, physically, socially, it's like this massive global trauma. And for many, the nervous system never fully switched back into the calm, more regulated state. And how this has been showing up post COVID, there's increased heart rates and dizziness, so more POTS like symptoms. So POTS, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, that stands for, there's been worsening fatigue and brain fog, lingering breathlessness or chest tightness, increases in anxiety, depression and PTSD like symptoms. And that post viral inflammation plus nervous system dysregulation means a lot more prolonged symptoms. Thank you So if you feel you haven't been able to get back to your normal since COVID, well you're not alone. Your nervous system is likely still stuck in fight or flight mode, even if the virus is gone, or even if it was another cause due to this, due to the pandemic, that has triggered yours. It's starting to all come out in the research now. If any of this is resonating, if you've been feeling exhausted, anxious, overstimulated, struggling with gut issues, hormonal imbalances, or post viral symptoms, your nervous system may be keeping you stuck. But there's good news. You can start reversing this pattern. Even if your nervous system has been in survival mode for years, there are ways to retrain it to feel safe again. So you can finally heal and get back living your life. Now we'll talk about how to break free from a hyperactive nervous system trap and retrain your body to work for you instead of against you. And that's probably one of the questions you've had is, well, how do we break free from this trap? It's not easy. It takes time for the nervous system to build up in this state. So it is going to take time for changes to start. But for change to occur, you've got to choose to make that start and to focus some time working on you. And it's not just about relaxing, you can tell yourself to relax, but it doesn't mean your body is going to listen and believe it. It's about retraining your nervous system to feel safe, slow down, and work with you instead of against you. So I'm going to go through just a couple of ways. So the first one is breath work to signal safety. Your breath is the fastest way to communicate with your nervous system, and I'll go through a couple of techniques. So the first is box breathing. That's where you imagine with each breath. It's like you're going around a box. So four in, hold for four, breathe out for four, hold for four, and then you go again. Four seconds in, hold for four seconds, four seconds out, hold for four. And you keep going around. The next is the extended exhale. So breathing in for four, then exhaling for six to eight seconds. So you're breathing in for the count of four, exhaling for the count of six to eight. Because we want that longer breath out, the shorter breath in. Vagus nerve stimulation is another one, and some examples of that is humming, singing or gargling. They all activate the vagus nerve, which then sends signals throughout the body. Number two, gentle movement and somatic practices. Your body needs movement to reset, but if you push too hard, you'll crash. So some examples is slow stretching, yoga, tai chi or walking. It can be simple movements, it doesn't have to be complicated. And shaking exercises. So literally shaking out stress like animals do in the wild. So that shaking, that helps expel some of that nervous tension or some of that built up stress in the body. It's like when we're using movement, we're processing some of the stress cycles on the nervous system. The third tip is down regulating your nervous system before bed. Create a wind down routine that signals safety to your nervous system. So no screens for an hour before bed, so phones, iPads, those sort of things, using weighted blankets or grounding exercises, and journaling or meditation to process stress before going into sleep. Number four is retraining your mindset from survival to sustainable success. So when your nervous system has been stuck in overdrive for years, your brain gets wired to expect stress, so it's like it's anticipating something's going to happen. We need to start by retraining it. We need to reframe those thoughts from, I'm always anxious, to, for example, my body is learning safety. So we're reframing the, the thoughts of, oh it's always this or I'm always feeling bad or it's always so hard or I can't do it, to something more adaptive and helpful. So my body is learning safety. Creating micro moments of safety throughout your day, for example, gentle self touch, deep sighs. Or, looking at something calming. Your environment matters, so create a safe space. Too much stimulation, too much overwhelming tasks, a toxic workplace, they're just examples. Your body will stay stuck in survival mode, so we really need to do environmental changes also to help the nervous system. Make small adjustments to create a sustainable environment. For example, reduce clutter, use softer lighting, create calming rituals throughout your day, just to give your nervous system a little bit of help. Right? So we'll start bringing this home now. So if you're dealing with constant fatigue, anxiety, feeling wired, on edge, the gut issues, struggling to get to sleep, feeling like your body's on high alert, It's time to reset your nervous system and think differently. The hyperactive nervous system trap is real and it's common. But you're not powerless, even though some days it can feel like that. Just start small, one breath, one gentle movement, one moment of stillness. It all adds up. Every little bit that you do during the day adds up. And if you're looking for more ways to join, if you're looking for more ways to do this. You can follow me online where we're creating real conversations about living sustainably with invisible conditions and actually thriving. If you're ready to take actionable steps towards taming your nervous system, to learn how to train your nervous system and get your life back, well I've got really exciting news that may suit you. Next month I have my new six week program launching. It's a live and interactive program. called Tame the Nervous System. This is where I'll be running weekly sessions over six weeks and it includes coaching, and we cover foundations of mind and body health, basic nervous system regulation, restorative movement and gentle activation, mindfulness techniques, stress reduction and emotional resilience, and then how to integrate it into your life to build sustainable health practices. So the program helps you get a clear understanding of how your nervous system impacts your symptoms and gives you the practical tools to start training the nervous system and manage your symptoms independently. So it gives you greater resilience to stress and life's challenges, so you'll learn some ways to change these things and start being able to get your nervous system working with you. You can start to feel empowered to create daily habits and support your health and well being. But it also helps you show up better personally, professionally, and in relationships if you're more regulated. So the link is in the show notes to find out more about the program, the details, or how to register. So if you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who needs to hear this. And if you haven't already, subscribe to the Sustainable Success Series podcast so you don't miss out on what's happening next. So until next time, take care of yourself, and remember, sustainable success starts from the inside out, just with one thing at a time. Thank you for listening to the Sustainable Success Series. Our content is general in nature and does not replace the advice from your health professional. Please subscribe to our show and follow us on social media to stay up. If you would like to be a guest on our podcast and you'd like to raise awareness or share your story, please reach out. We'd love to hear from you. Our email is in the show notes.