Hacking your nervous system
Listed below are a few tricks you can reliably use to nudge your nervous system in the direction you want it to go.
Can’t get moving in the morning:
Use a sunrise alarm clock to help waken naturally and slowly: Sunrise Alarm Clock
Or use a vibrating wrist alarm for heavy sleepers: Vibrating Alarm Band
Set alarms across the room
Essential oil like lemon and peppermint set prior to getting up
Cold/ice drink as you wake
Colder shower (shock your system)
Smoothie in the morning to get going – helps with proprioception
Identify your transition sticking points - post it notes on doors and walls can help.
Set alarms for when to be done with a task (on phone or microwave)
Reminders on the calendar
Review the night before and morning of and keep going back to the list for what to do
Listen to fast music
Struggle to attend after school/work activities:
Balance ball (stand on it or a wobble board)
Balance on one foot and stand at the counter to get items done (alerts nervous system)
Drink something cold
Set alarms (create a pressure cooker)
Use lists and go back to task lists
Smoothie
Drink from a straw
Eat something crunchy to wake the nervous system
Feeling overwhelmed:
Control the sounds with an mp3 player or headphones with your phone
Sensory hoodies for kids and for adults
Use polyvagal exercises to calm the nervous system
Heavy weight calms the nervous system (weightlifting, body weight exercises, weighted vest).
Sucking through a straw
Drinking from a camel back water bottle with a bite valve
Smoothie or shake