10 Things Your Nervous System Loves (That Can Help Reduce Chronic Pain)
When you live with chronic pain, it can feel like your body is constantly on high alert. Pain loops repeat, tension builds, and even rest can feel difficult. One of the most important things to understand is this:
chronic pain is deeply connected to the nervous system.
When your nervous system feels threatened or overwhelmed, it stays in protection mode. Pain signals become louder, more persistent, and harder to regulate.
The good news is that your nervous system is adaptable. And it responds beautifully to gentle, consistent support.
Below are 10 simple things your nervous system loves, and how they can help reduce chronic pain over time.
These aren’t rigid rules or “perfect routines.” They are invitations. Start where you can.
1. Safety
Before your nervous system can let go of protection, it needs to feel safe. Safety isn’t just physical — it’s emotional and internal too. It might look like:
lying down with your pet
sitting in the sun
talking with someone you trust
taking a quiet nap
The key is noticing and acknowledging the feeling of safety in your body. When you name it — “I feel safe right now” — your nervous system begins to register it more easily.
2. Predictability
Gentle routines help your body relax. Waking, eating, resting, and moving at similar times each day sends a powerful message to your nervous system:
“We are okay. I know what’s coming next.”
Predictability reduces vigilance and allows your system to settle without effort.
3. Breath Awareness
Slow, steady breathing tells your body the emergency is over. When pain or stress is present, breathing often becomes shallow or restricted. Bringing awareness back to the breath helps oxygen move through the body and signals safety to the brain.
Try:
breathing slowly through your nose
pausing gently at the top of the breath
exhaling fully through your mouth
Even a few rounds can help your nervous system return closer to baseline.
4. Gentle Movement
Movement doesn’t have to mean pushing or forcing. And it doesn’t mean avoiding your body either. Gentle movement is about reminding your nervous system that movement is allowed again. This might include:
stretching
walking
swimming
simple daily motion
Consistency matters more than intensity.
5. Hydration
Dehydration is a subtle stressor on the nervous system. Many people living with chronic pain are more dehydrated than they realize. Regular water intake throughout the day supports circulation, tissue health, and nervous system balance.
A simple place to start:
warm water in the morning
small, regular sips throughout the day
6. Warmth
Warmth tells your body it is supported and secure. This isn’t about overheating — it’s about feeling cozy and contained. Warmth supports circulation and helps the body soften out of a guarded state. Think layers, socks, blankets, or warm showers — especially if you’re sensitive to cold or tension.
7. Rest Without Collapse
True rest isn’t checking out. It’s giving your body permission to soften without shutting down. Many people only rest once they’re completely exhausted. Instead, try building in small moments of intentional rest throughout the day:
lying down
sitting quietly
closing your eyes
breathing and acknowledging rest
Rest becomes restorative when it’s chosen, not forced.
8. Pleasure
Pleasure is not extra. Laughter, beauty, music, nature — these are not indulgences. They are medicine for the nervous system. Pleasure softens vigilance and interrupts pain-focused attention. Even small moments matter:
a favorite song
sunlight on your skin
a good laugh
something visually beautiful
9. Connection
Connection reduces pain. This might be connection to:
other people
pets
nature
spirituality or source
something larger than the pain experience
You don’t have to do this alone. Connection helps the nervous system widen its focus beyond pain and creates space for regulation and support.
10. Hope
Your nervous system needs possibility.
Not perfection.
Not certainty.
Just the belief that change is possible. Hope doesn’t mean ignoring difficulty. It means gently reminding your body: “I may not know how yet, but I’m open to something different.”
Over time, hope becomes a powerful rewiring signal.
A Gentle Reminder
You don’t need to do all ten of these things. Choose one or two. Start where it feels easiest. Return to them again and again.
Small, repeated signals of safety, kindness, and support are what create long-term change.
Your nervous system is listening.
…
If you’d like deeper guidance, structured support, and practices to help you integrate these tools into daily life, explore Pathways to Pain Relief or work with me one-on-one through health and wellness coaching.
You are not broken. You are adaptable.