Unraveling the Tired and Wired Feeling: Understanding Your Body’s Signals
Many people experience the feeling of being "tired and wired," where you feel exhausted but also restless or anxious. This can be confusing and frustrating, especially when all you want is to relax. To better understand this sensation, let’s look at how your nervous system works.
How Your Nervous System Functions
Your autonomic nervous system controls things your body does automatically, like heart rate and breathing. It has two main parts:
Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS): This is your body's "fight or flight" mode, preparing you to respond to threats. When it kicks in, you might feel more alert and energized, like you’re ready to take action.
Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS): This part helps your body relax and recover. It promotes calmness and is responsible for restful states.
The Polyvagal Theory
The Polyvagal Theory, created by Dr. Stephen Porges, explains how the vagus nerve affects our emotional and physical states. According to this theory, we operate in three main states:
Safe and Social: In this state, you feel calm and connected, able to engage and communicate comfortably.
Fight or Flight: When you perceive danger, your body switches to this state, leading to increased alertness and energy, often making you feel "wired."
Freeze or Shutdown: In extreme stress, you might feel overwhelmed and shut down, leading to fatigue and disengagement.
Why Do You Feel Tired and Wired?
When you feel both tired and wired, it usually means your body is stuck between feeling alert and needing rest. If our nervous systems were cars, in the tired and wired state we have one foot on the gas pedal and the other one on the break, all at one.
Ongoing stress—whether from work, personal issues, or even environmental factors—can keep your nervous system on high alert. This state can leave you feeling drained but unable to relax because your body is still in "fight or flight" mode.
What Can Help?
Body-Awareness & Boundaries: Often the tired-and-wired state is a symptom of overworking - learning to read the signs of when your body needs rest, and setting boundaries is an important step on your journey toward a calmer nervous system.
Breathing Exercises: Simple deep breathing can help calm your nervous system. Try inhaling deeply for four counts, holding for four, and exhaling for six. A more simple technique is belly breathing or focusing on and lengthening your exhale (the exhale activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps you relax).
Gentle Movement: Mindfulness, yoga, or even just walking in nature can help you feel more centered and relaxed. If you suffer from anxiety, cardio can really help as well.
Create a Healthy Routine: Establishing a regular daily schedule can help stabilize your nervous system. Make sure to prioritize sleep, eat well, and move your body regularly.
Limit Stimulants: Cutting back on caffeine and other stimulants can prevent your nervous system from getting overly activated, making it easier to relax.
Connect with Others: Spending time with supportive friends, if you have the energy, helps bring us into the more relaxed nervous system through co-regulation.
Play: Play is something we often forget about in our busy lives. Somehow we assume that once we are grown-ups we don’t need to play. On a level of the nervous system, this doesn’t hold true. Play and creativity is a wonderful way to regulate the nervous system.
Conclusion
Understanding the tired and wired feeling through your nervous system can help you see what’s happening in your body. By recognizing your current state and using some simple techniques to promote calmness, you can start to find balance and feel better. Remember to be patient with yourself as you work toward relaxation and healing. If you would like further support to get your nervous system back on track, reach out for a free consulation.
