At Sanctuary Wellness, we are dedicated to empowering women to prioritize their health and well-being. In celebration of National Women’s Health Month this May, we are excited to present a four-part blog series, each week focusing on a vital aspect of women’s health. Throughout the month, we will explore topics such as maintaining a healthy nervous system, achieving hormonal balance, promoting heart health, and managing chronic illnesses and autoimmune conditions. Join us on this journey as we delve into these subjects, offering insights and guidance to support and enhance your health and wellness.
And this week we’re talking about the nervous system!
Cultivating a Healthy Nervous System
Why Nervous System Regulation is the Starting Point for True Healing
When it comes to healing the mind, body, and soul, the nervous system is the root—not just a branch. An unbalanced nervous system is often the hidden source behind many chronic issues, from hormonal imbalances and autoimmune flare-ups to digestive distress, anxiety, and persistent fatigue. If the body is stuck in a chronic state of stress—constantly firing the sympathetic “fight-or-flight” response—it simply can’t enter the parasympathetic “rest-and-digest” mode that allows for true restoration, repair, and balance.
This is why nervous system regulation must come first. It creates the inner environment needed for all other systems—digestive, endocrine, cardiovascular, immune—to recalibrate and function properly. When we begin healing from this core foundation, we create a ripple effect that supports deeper emotional resilience, physical vitality, and mental clarity. At Sanctuary Wellness, we believe that tending to the nervous system is the most profound act of self-care—and the most powerful first step in any holistic healing journey.
Sanctuary Wellness Services for Nervous System Health:
✨ Infrared Sauna with Chromotherapy:
The gentle heat from infrared saunas promotes relaxation and reduces stress by balancing cortisol levels, the body’s primary stress hormone. Infrared Sauna therapy also helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), which is responsible for promoting relaxation and recovery. The heat from the sauna induces a mild stress response, similar to moderate exercise, but without the physical exertion.
✨ Chromotherapy:
Chromotherapy or color light therapy, further enhances mood and mental clarity. The color yellow is considered the best for the nervous system, as it is believed to have a calming and stimulating effect on the nerves, helping to alleviate nervous tension and anxiety.
✨ Contrast Therapy
Involves alternating between hot and cold treatments, offers notable benefits for nervous system regulation in women. This practice stimulates the circulatory system through cycles of vasodilation and vasoconstriction, enhancing blood flow and oxygenation to tissues. Such physiological responses can aid in reducing stress, alleviating muscle tension, and promoting overall relaxation. Moreover, contrast therapy has been associated with improvements in mood and mental clarity, contributing to a balanced and resilient nervous system. 
✨ PEMF Therapy (with Infrared Heat & Negative Ions):
Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy interacts with cellular processes, promoting relaxation and reducing stress by activating the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS). This shift from the sympathetic (“fight-or-flight”) to the parasympathetic (“rest-and-digest”) state is crucial for optimal healing and detoxification. PEMF devices can help to stimulate the vagus nerve and heart rate variability, in particular, it helps to influence the autonomic nervous system, which helps to control the fight or flight response, meaning that it promotes a more calming influence on the body.
✨ Halotherapy Bed:
Also known as salt therapy, halotherapy has calming effects on the nervous system, reducing stress and promoting relaxation.
✨ Compression Therapy (with Red Light Therapy & Vibration):
This therapy enhances blood flow and stimulates the lymphatic system, aiding in the removal of toxins that can affect nerve health. The incorporation of red light therapy and vibration further supports cellular health and relaxation.
Additional Practices for Nervous System Regulation:
🪷 Breathwork:
Engaging in intentional breathing exercises can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety. Techniques such as slow, deep breathing have been shown to enhance autonomic, cerebral, and psychological flexibility.
🪷 Somatic Work:
Practices focusing on bodily sensations and inner experiences, such as somatic exercises, can help manage emotions and stress, improve mental well-being, and provide physical benefits like increased flexibility and strength.
🪷 Sound Therapy:
Utilizing sound healing techniques can regulate the nervous system by promoting relaxation and emotional release. Sound baths, binaural beats, & solfeggio frequencies are all examples of sound therapy.
🪷 Nutrition:
Consuming a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals supports nerve function. Foods like dark chocolate, avocados, fermented foods, bananas, spinach, green tea, fatty fish, lean poultry, and eggs are beneficial.
🪷 Herbal Supplements:
Certain herbs, such as ashwagandha, valerian root, and chamomile, have been shown to support nervous system health and reduce anxiety.
One of the best supplements Holly has found to aid is HPA-axis regulation, cortisol regulation & nervous system regulation in general is HPA Adapt (for day time use). And Cortisol Manager for evening use.
HPA ADAPT – https://amzn.to/4k1sRAp
CORTISOL MANAGER – https://amzn.to/3GwHe16
🪷 Journaling and Meditation:
These practices can help manage stress, improve emotional well-being, and enhance self-awareness, contributing to a balanced nervous system.
🪷 Lymphatic Drainage Work:
Techniques such as massage and dry brushing stimulate the lymphatic system, aiding in the removal of toxins and supporting nervous system health.
Incorporating these therapies and practices into your routine can significantly enhance nervous system health, leading to improved overall well-being.
📲 Ready to continue your journey to wellness? Book your tour, consultation, and your first 30 minute complimentary session today!
