Our bodies are set up to protect us from threats and danger. In the past, when encountering a wild animal, our sympathetic nervous system kicked in to mount a “fight, flight or freeze” response in order to survive.
When the sympathetic nervous system kicks in, it is with the sole purpose to protect us from danger. The heart pumps faster to get more blood to the eyes and muscles so we see better and are able to move rapidly away from harm. If we cannot run away, the chemicals in the body like adrenaline help us fight off the threat. In order to maximise blood flow to these areas, the body redirects blood away from the other systems like the digestive system and from processes such as growth and sleep, which are less important at the time. Once the danger passes, the body relaxes and blood flow returns to these systems and their processes resume.
These days what our brain recognizes as threats are quite different, and don’t pass as quickly as a bear or lion in search for food. Stress from our life circumstances, and interpersonal conflict with friends, relatives and co-workers are not life threatening, but may trigger the same sympathetic response. Because the triggers often last longer than a few minutes, the reactions can continue for hours or days. Unfortunately, while our bodies are only mounting this response to protect us, the symptoms of prolonged sympathetic nervous system activation, or “hyperarousal”, cause more harm than good.
Commonly we may experience this as:1,2
- Palpitations with high heart rate and blood pressure
- Feeling on edge, or constantly on the look out for things going wrong
- Extreme sensitivity to sights, sounds and textures
- Difficulty sleeping
- Changes to bowel habits
- Breathing fast
- Lightheadedness
- Emotional outbursts
Management of hyperarousal
There are many strategies that can help you if you feel your body is in sympathetic overdrive or hyperarousal
In the moment, strategies that can help include:1,2,3,4
- Strong sensory stimulation like drinking cold water, sucking on something sour or a strong mint, having a cool shower, or using an ice pack on the back of your neck
- Breathing techniques:
- Diaphragmatic breathing- breathing right down into your belly helps lower your heart rate and blood pressure, and breathing in through your nose activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest and digest” system)
- 4-2-6 or 3-1-4 breathing- having a prolonged exhale compared to your inhale can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system (opposite of hyperarousal). Breathe in through your nose for the count of 4, hold the breath for 2 counts and exhale through your mouth over 6 counts. If that is difficult, inhale for 3 counts, hold for 1 count and exhale over 4 counts to start with.
- Mindfulness strategies help you notice the present rather than thinking about the past or the future. Some easy techniques to start with include:
- Progressive muscle relaxation-squeezing your muscle groups one at a time, holding for about three seconds and then releasing
- Sensory exercise noticing five things you see, four things you touch, three things you hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste
There are also long term changes you can make to your lifestyle to lower your overall level of arousal such as1,2:
- Reducing your intake of stimulants
- Caffeine and nicotine activate the nervous system which can make the level of arousal worse.
- Alcohol and other drugs can also make hyperarousal worse.
- Prioritise sleep
- Hyperarousal is worsened when sleep is insufficient
- Work on managing stressors
- Recognise what your triggers are and what is currently causing you stress.
- Focus on what you can control and take steps towards managing these factors.
- Accept what you can’t control so you can reduce the impact it has on your sympathetic nervous system.
- Develop a calming routine- Work out what you can do on a daily basis to calm your nervous system. Helpful strategies include:
- Gentle exercise like swimming, walking and yoga
- Processing the day’s events by journalling or debriefing with someone else
- Meditation, mindfulness or breath work
- Reducing sugar
- While sugary foods can give us temporary comfort, the spikes in blood sugar and insulin only add to the ups and downs we feel physically and mentally.
- Focusing on foods that release energy gradually over the course of the day keeps the sugar levels more even.
- Training our discomfort tolerance
- Talk to your doctor about ways to safely expose yourself to discomfort on a regular basis.
- Regular exposure will improve the threshold at which your sympathetic nervous system is triggered, and with practice, you will find smaller things won’t bother you as much.
Hyperarousal is becoming more common in today’s society and it may be affecting you. Try some of these techniques to improve the physical and emotional symptoms of sympathetic overdrive or speak to your doctor about additional supports from which you may benefit.
References:
- Cleveland Clinic. Hyperarousal: What It Is, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment. Cleveland Clinic. Updated January 23, 2025. Accessed July 20, 2026. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/hyperarousal
- Cleveland Clinic. What Happens During Fight-or-Flight Response? Cleveland Clinic. Updated July 22, 2024. Accessed July 20, 2026. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-happens-to-your-body-during-the-fight-or-flight-response
- Cleveland Clinic. What is Breathwork? A beginner’s guide. Cleveland Clinic. Updated May 19, 2023. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/breathwork
- CCI WA. Breathing Retraining. Centre for Clinical Interventions. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/~/media/CCI/Mental-Health-Professionals/Anxiety/Anxiety—Information-Sheets/Anxiety-Information-Sheet—08—Breathing-Retraining.pdf
