In a culture in which everything feels urgent, social media is filled with bad news, and our work days feel endless, something’s bound to give. Often, that thing is our nervous systems. In fact, if you’re chronically feeling stressed, anxious, depressed, irritable, or worse, there’s a good chance your nervous system is dysregulated.

But what exactly does it mean to have a “dysregulated” nervous system? And, most importantly, how can we get it back on track? Read on to find out.

What is the nervous system?

“Think of your nervous system as your body’s operating system, quietly working behind the scenes to influence how you feel, recover, and connect,” explains Rē Precision Health’s founder Lucy Oliver, MSci. “The more you learn about it, the more empowered you become in making choices that nurture your resilience.”

To that end, here’s a little refresher on the role of the nervous system. Basically, it acts as a messenger between the body and the brain via a network of nerves and neurons. According to the National Institute of Health, these nerves and neurons “transmit signals between the brain and the rest of the body, including internal organs. In this way, the nervous system’s activity controls the ability to move, breathe, see, think, and more.”

The nervous system can be divided into two parts, the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic system. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for responding to stressful situations and activating the body’s “fight or flight” response, while the parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body’s calmer “rest and digest” mode.

Ideally, our nervous system should be able to maintain an equilibrium between these two systems, dynamically switching between the two modes as needed. This state of balance is called “homeostasis”—a word you probably remember from seventh grade biology class. But if not, Britannica Kids offers this helpful definition: “homeostasis refers to the ability of the body to maintain a stable internal environment despite changes in external conditions.”

Living in survival mode

When we feel like we’re in danger, our sympathetic nervous system kicks on to protect us from the threat. “The brain goes into survival mode, mobilizing the sympathetic system to activate fight-flight mode,” explains Dr. Navaz Habib, a functional health practitioner who specializes in the vagus nerve. Essentially, survival mode is a state of hyper-vigilance in which the heart rate and blood pressure increase, readying the body to “fight or flee” if necessary.