Listening to Your Body When Your Mind Won’t Shut Off

Heather Headley
Oct 6
3 min read

a woman meditating and listening to her body

If you’ve ever crawled into bed exhausted only to have your mind rev up like it just drank a double espresso—you’re not alone. Overthinking at night (or during the day) is often a signal that your nervous system is stuck in “on” mode. This is where nervous system regulation for anxiety makes all the difference—it’s not about fighting your thoughts, but about calming the body so the mind can follow.

Most of us try to fix it with more thinking: lists, plans, pep talks, or trying to shove the thoughts down. But here’s the truth—your body holds the reset switch, not your mind.

Let’s talk about how to actually listen when your body is asking for help.

1. Notice the Signals Your Body Sends

Your body communicates in whispers long before it screams. Common signals of mental overload include:

Tight chest or shallow breathing
A restless stomach
Clenched jaw or grinding teeth
Feeling wired but tired

Start by naming the signal out loud. Example: “My shoulders are tight. My body’s telling me it’s carrying too much.” This simple acknowledgment can interrupt the loop of self-criticism and shift you toward awareness.

2. Nervous System Regulation for Anxiety: Quick Resets That Work

Instead of fighting your thoughts, give your body a quick tool to downshift:

Box Breathing: Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Repeat 4 rounds. This pattern tells your nervous system, “It’s safe to calm down.”
5–4–3–2–1 Grounding: Notice 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste. This anchors your attention back into the present moment.
Energy Tap: Place your hand over your heart and tap gently while breathing slowly. This blends somatic awareness with energetic regulation.

These are simple, free practices you can use anywhere. Practices like box breathing and grounding are simple forms of nervous system regulation for anxiety. They help the body feel safe again so the mind doesn’t have to keep shouting for attention.

3. Understand the Difference Between Mind and Intuition

One of the biggest confusions I see as a holistic coach is when people mistake mental chatter for intuition. Quick distinction:

Mind noise feels fast, anxious, repetitive.
Intuitive nudges feel calm, steady, often arriving as a quiet knowing.

If you’re unsure, write the thought down and revisit later. If it’s intuition, it will still feel clear. If it’s anxiety, it usually fades once the nervous system calms.

4. Build a Daily Listening Practice

Listening to your body doesn’t have to take hours. Try one of these 5-minute rituals daily:

Stretch your arms overhead, then fold forward and breathe into your back.
Place both feet on the ground before a meeting or call and notice the floor supporting you.
Journal one line each night: “Today my body felt…” and finish the sentence.

Over time, these micro-practices train you to recognize what your body’s been saying all along.

5. How This Fits into the Look Within Method

The reason these tools work is because they line up with the three-step flow I use in my practice, called The Look Within Method:

Reveal: Name the pattern and bring it into awareness.
Regulate: Calm the nervous system and reset the energy.
Recalibrate: Integrate the shift into daily life.

In the Look Within Method, the Regulate step is all about nervous system regulation for anxiety and overwhelm—using energy healing, breath, and presence to help the body find its way back to calm.

This post focused on the first two steps, but the truth is—you need all three for lasting change.

When You Need More Support

Sometimes DIY tools are enough. Sometimes they’re not. If your mind keeps racing despite your best efforts, it may mean your system needs deeper regulation or your energy body is carrying more than you realize.

If your thoughts won’t quiet down, consider exploring deeper practices like remote Reiki healing or coaching focused on nervous system regulation for anxiety. These aren’t about fixing you—they’re about giving your system the chance to reset.

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