Why Your Nervous System Is Crying Out for Rest (and What You Can Do About It)

Have you ever felt like you're just ... holding it all together?

The lunches get packed. The laundry (eventually) folded. You manage emotions - yours and everyone else’s. Work gets done. But beneath all the doing, there’s a quiet hum of exhaustion. A tension that never fully leaves your shoulders. A sense of overwhelm just beneath the surface, ready to bubble over at the smallest trigger.

That’s not a flaw. That’s your nervous system waving a white flag.

And if you’re a mother, there’s a good chance you’ve been living like this for years without even realizing it.

What No One Tells Us About Motherhood and the Nervous System

Motherhood is a full-body, full-heart experience. It changes our sleep, our identity, our hormones, our energy. And yet, we’re expected to keep moving at the same pace - often faster.

The chronic state of alertness that mothers live in - always anticipating needs, absorbing emotions, multitasking endlessly - keeps the body in what science calls sympathetic dominance: a constant fight-or-flight state.

When the sympathetic nervous system is overactive and the parasympathetic system (the rest-and-digest system) doesn’t get activated enough, we become emotionally, physically, and spiritually depleted.

According to research from the American Psychological Association, 68% of mothers report that parenting is a significant source of stress, and more than half say they feel like they’re “not doing enough” despite all they do (APA, 2010).

That stress is real, and it affects our nervous system in very tangible ways.

How a Dysregulated Nervous System Shows Up

A dysregulated nervous system doesn’t always scream. Sometimes it whispers in symptoms we’re told to normalize or ignore.

You might notice:

Snapping at your children or partner over small things
Struggling to access the patience or compassion you know you have
Always feeling behind, no matter how much you do
Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
Restlessness, anxiety, or emotional numbness
Feeling disconnected from your body or like you're just going through the motions
Deep fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest

It’s our nervous system doing its best to survive without the tools it needs to thrive.

“You can’t pour from an empty cup” is more than a cliché. It’s biology.

Why Yoga and Breathwork Are So Powerful for Mothers

Yoga isn’t just stretching or me time. It’s a nervous system tool and one of the most effective ones we have.

When practiced gently and mindfully, yoga helps us activate the parasympathetic nervous system, bringing us into a state of rest and repair. Combined with conscious breathing, it reduces cortisol (the stress hormone), soothes the vagus nerve, and increases feelings of emotional safety and resilience.

As trauma researcher and author Dr. Bessel van der Kolk explains:

“Yoga helps people to develop a sense of calm and strength, and to cultivate an awareness of what the body needs to feel safe.”

In one study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, participants who practiced yoga experienced a 42% reduction in perceived stress levels after just 10 sessions (Granath et al., 2006).

For mothers, this is life-changing. Because when we are calm, our children feel it. When we are present, they soften. When we are regulated, our whole household shifts.

This Is Why I Created the Thrive and Flow Mothers Course

I created this course because I know the toll motherhood can take on your nervous system. And I know what’s possible when we begin to restore, not just physically, but at a soul level.

This course is your invitation to slow down without guilt. To release long-held tension. To truly breathe again.

Inside the course, you’ll be gently guided through:

Restorative and yin yoga practices to help you release emotional and physical holding
Breathwork is designed to reset the nervous system and calm the mind
Embodied self-care rituals to rebuild energy and resilience
Simple, soulful practices you can return to again and again

This is more than a course. It’s a space of remembrance of your wholeness, your strength, your softness, and your right to be cared for, too.

As poet Nayyirah Waheed writes:

“And I said to my body. Softly. ‘I want to be your friend.’It took a long breath. And replied,‘I have been waiting my whole life for this.’”

Want to experience a taste of this practice soon?

I’m putting the finishing touches on a free guided session that includes breathwork, gentle movement, and a moment to reconnect with yourself, just for mothers like you.

If you're craving more ease, softness, and nervous system support … If you're ready to feel more you again:

✨ Follow along on Instagram @the_inwardmovement to be the first to receive your invitation.

I’ll be sharing all the details there very soon, along with simple nervous system tips, nourishing practices, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of the Thrive and Flow Mothers Course .

With love,

Barbora

Resources Cited

American Psychological Association. (2010). Stress in America Survey.
Granath, J., Ingvarsson, S., von Thiele, U., & Lundberg, U. (2006). Stress management: a randomized study of cognitive behavioural therapy and yoga. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62(6), 657–665.
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, B. (2015). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma.