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Reducing Anxiety Symptoms: A Holistic Approach to Nervous System Health

Learn how to calm your mind and body naturally by focusing on the root causes of anxiety and nurturing your nervous system with a holistic approach.

Published: April 21, 2025


Anxiety is more than just feeling overwhelmed, it’s a sign that your nervous system may be dysregulated. At GRAV1TY, we believe healing anxiety starts by restoring balance to your body, mind, and spirit. Here's how you can support your nervous system and reduce anxiety symptoms through grounded, science-backed, holistic methods.


1. Regulate Your Breath to Calm Your Brain

Your breath is one of the most powerful tools you have to influence your nervous system in real time. Deep, intentional breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, shifting you from a stressed sympathetic state into a calm parasympathetic one.


Try this GRAV1TY breathwork technique:

  • Inhale for 4 seconds

  • Hold for 4 seconds

  • Exhale slowly for 8 seconds

  • Repeat for 2–3 minutes, especially before bed or after a triggering moment

    Box Breathing, Anxiety
Slow-paced breathing improves heart rate variability (HRV), a key biomarker of resilience and emotional regulation (Lehrer & Gevirtz, 2014).

2. Journal to Move Emotion

Somatic tension often mirrors emotional buildup. Writing freely allows your mind to process emotion and reduces the need for your body to “hold” it.

Prompt to try today:

"If my anxiety could speak, what would it say?"

Writing 10 minutes a day improves emotional clarity and reduces anxiety symptoms over time.

Journaling has been shown to reduce mental rumination and promote emotional release (Pennebaker, 1997).

3. Get Back Into Your Body

Movement regulates your nervous system. Somatic practices like yoga, stretching, or even dancing help discharge pent-up energy and bring you back to safety.

  • Try gentle movement right when you wake up

  • Focus on how it feels, not how it looks

Dr. Bessel van der Kolk emphasizes the power of body-based practices in releasing trauma and regulating anxiety [(van der Kolk, 2014)].

4. Supplement With Nervous System Support

Certain nutrients support your body's ability to cope with stress.

  • Magnesium glycinate: Supports muscle relaxation and stress reduction

  • Ashwagandha: Adaptogen known to lower cortisol

  • L-theanine: Calms the mind without sedation

Magnesium supplementation significantly reduces subjective stress and anxiety (Boyle et al., 2017).

Always consult with your coach or healthcare provider before adding supplements.


5. Stimulate the Vagus Nerve

The vagus nerve is your body's anxiety off-switch. You can tone it through:

  • Humming or chanting

  • Cold exposure (try a 30-second cold rinse at the end of your shower)

  • Deep belly laughter or singing

Vagus nerve stimulation has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety (Fang et al., 2016).

You Are Not Broken

Your body is working hard to protect you, but it doesn’t have to stay in survival mode forever. With intentional regulation, you can teach your nervous system safety, and healing will follow.


This is the kind of work we live and breathe at GRAV1TY. We don’t just coach fitness, we coach full-spectrum nervous system healing, from the inside out.


References

  • Boyle, N. B., Lawton, C., & Dye, L. (2017). Magnesium supplementation on anxiety and stress, a systematic review. Nutrients, 9(5), 429.

  • Fang, J., Rong, P., et al. (2016). Vagus nerve stimulation modulates brain networks in Major Depressive Disorder. Biological Psychiatry, 79(4), 266–273.

  • Lehrer, P. M., & Gevirtz, R. (2014). HRV biofeedback: How and why does it work?. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 756.

  • Pennebaker, J. W. (1997). Writing about emotional experiences as a therapeutic process. Psychological Science, 8(3), 162–166.

  • Saoji, A. A., et al. (2019). Effects of yogic breath regulation. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, 10(1), 50–58.

  • van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score. Viking.

  • Global Wellness Institute (2024). Wellness Trends.


Ready to feel safe in your body again? Learn more about how our all-inclusive GRAV1TY Wellness programs can support your nervous system through fitness, nutrition, and mindset. DM us or apply now.


 
 
 

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