How to Reset Your Nervous System When You Freeze: 3 Simple Exercises That Bring You Back

Megan Holloway
Nov 18
2 min read

You know that moment when your brain just… stops?

You’re staring into space, watching the clouds, maybe trying to remember what you were supposed to be doing.

Yeah—that one.

I know how frustrating it can be when your mind checks out and your body follows suit. You’re willing yourself to “just focus” but everything inside is screaming, “Nope.”

Here’s the truth: you’re not lazy, broken, or bad at adulting. You’re just dysregulated.

Your body’s doing exactly what it’s designed to do—protect you.

So instead of forcing yourself to “snap out of it,” let’s learn to meet your body where it’s at.

Here are 3 reset your nervous system exercises I use (and teach clients) when my brain hits pause. They’re quick, calming, and ridiculously effective.

Woman with closed eyes basks in sunlight indoors. Soft shadows, relaxed expression, and subtle striped shirt create a calm atmosphere.

1. Arm Squeezes

Instructions:

Cross your arms over your chest and slowly squeeze from shoulder to elbow on each arm.

Why it works:

It helps you reconnect with your body and creates a sense of physical safety. When your brain is floating off into space, this anchors you right back into the present.

Think of it as giving your nervous system a reassuring hug: “We’re safe. We’re here. We’re okay.”

2. Bilateral Butterfly Taps

Instructions:

Cross your arms over your chest again and gently tap your collarbones—left, right, left, right.

What’s happening:

This activates both sides of your brain, helping your nervous system regulate and rebalance. It’s like hitting the “sync” button between your body and mind.

Perfect when you feel foggy, disconnected, or overwhelmed by too much input.

3. Vagus Nerve Reset

Instructions:

Interlace your hands behind your head.
Keep your head still and look only to the left with your eyes.
Hold until you sigh, yawn, or exhale deeply.
Then repeat on the right.
Release your hands.

Why it’s magic:

This move helps stimulate your vagus nerve—a key player in your body’s rest-and-digest system.

When you feel stuck in freeze mode, this exercise sends a powerful message to your brain: we’re safe now.

Basically, it’s like hitting “refresh” on your whole nervous system.

You Don’t Need to Push Through—You Need to Come Home to Yourself

You can’t think your way out of a freeze response.

You have to feel your way out of it.

The next time you zone out, instead of panicking or powering through, pause. Try one (or all three) of these tools. Notice your breath. Let your body lead.

Because you don’t need to fight your brain—you just need to learn how to work with it.