Your Nervous System on Overdrive: How to Tell if You’re Living in Survival Mode

I didn’t always realize I was living in survival mode. I just thought I was a tired mom, a nurse running on caffeine, and someone with “bad discipline” because I couldn’t stop craving carbs. But what I now know is that my nervous system was stuck on overdrive.

And here’s the tricky part: survival mode doesn’t always look like panic attacks or dramatic breakdowns. Most of the time, it looks like women holding it all together on the outside while their bodies are screaming for relief on the inside.

Let’s talk about how to recognize the signs, why so many of us get stuck here, and how you can start calming your system so your health—and yes, even your weight loss—finally feel doable.

What Is Survival Mode, Really?

Your body is built with an amazing switchboard called the autonomic nervous system. It has two main branches:

• Sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight): The stress response. It raises your heart rate, pumps out cortisol and adrenaline, and gets you ready to react.

• Parasympathetic nervous system (rest-and-digest): The recovery side. It helps you calm down, digest, heal, and sleep.

When everything works smoothly, you shift back and forth between the two all day. But if you’re constantly under stress, skipping meals, or overexercising, your body can get “stuck” in sympathetic dominance. That’s survival mode—your gas pedal is jammed down, and your brakes barely work.

Signs You’re Living in Survival Mode

This is where most women miss it. They think, “I don’t feel anxious, so I must be fine.” But survival mode can be sneaky:

• Always tired but never rested. You wake up exhausted even after sleeping, or you can’t fall asleep because your brain is buzzing.

• Digestive drama. Stress shuts down digestion. Bloating, constipation, diarrhea? That’s your nervous system talking.

• Cravings that feel out of control. High cortisol means your body craves sugar and simple carbs. It’s not weakness—it’s biology.

• Weight plateaus or stubborn belly fat. Chronic stress hormones affect insulin and fat storage, especially around the midsection.

• Feeling edgy, irritable, or emotional. You snap at the kids or cry at commercials, then wonder what’s wrong with you.

For me, it was the irritability and sugar cravings. I thought I lacked willpower. What I actually lacked was nervous system balance.

Why Women Get Stuck Here

Let’s be real: women over 30 are juggling careers, parenting, caregiving, hormones, and constant pressure to “look the part.” Add years of yo-yo dieting and overexercising, and the body doesn’t feel safe.

Here’s the science:

• Calorie restriction signals famine.

• Sleep deprivation signals danger.

• Excess caffeine keeps cortisol pumping.

Your body doesn’t care that you’re trying to “get healthy.” It only hears: The environment is unsafe. Hold on to fat. Conserve energy.

How to Reset Your Nervous System

The good news? You don’t need a silent retreat or a sabbatical. Small daily practices can tell your body, “You’re safe now.”

1. Breathe with intention.
   Slow, deep breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, which flips your parasympathetic system on. Try the 4-7-8 method: inhale for 4, hold for 7, exhale for 8.

2. Eat balanced meals.
   Don’t skip meals. A mix of protein, fat, and fiber tells your body fuel is abundant. If you’re curious how stress and food affect you, the Nutrisense Continuous Glucose Monitor (affiliate) is a powerful tool. It shows in real time how stress and food choices impact your blood sugar—a huge piece of survival mode.

3. Exercise smarter, not harder.
   When you’re in overdrive, punishing workouts can spike cortisol. Instead, focus on strength training, walking, or yoga. Save the HIIT for when your body is more balanced.

4. Prioritize sleep.
   Blue light, late-night scrolling, and caffeine wreck sleep. A simple shift like putting your phone away an hour before bed can help your system reset. If sleep feels impossible, at-home tests like Everlywell’s Cortisol Test (affiliate) can reveal if stress hormones are interfering.

5. Use supportive tools.
   Adaptogens and CBD blends, like those from Mood Wellness (affiliate), can help reduce stress and support sleep. I don’t use them as a “magic fix,” but they’re an extra layer of support when paired with lifestyle changes.

My Wake-Up Call

I’ll never forget a 12-hour shift where I realized I hadn’t peed, eaten, or even sat down. My heart raced, my head spun, and my body felt like it was on fire from the inside out. I thought I was just “tired.” Nope. That was my nervous system waving a giant red flag.

When I finally slowed down—breathing, eating enough, checking my stress hormones, and supporting my nervous system with gentle routines—the weight finally shifted, my digestion improved, and I didn’t feel like I was constantly snapping at everyone.

Why This Matters for Weight Loss

Here’s the reality: you can’t diet your way out of survival mode.

When your body thinks it’s in danger, it will fight you every step of the way. Weight loss becomes nearly impossible because your system is conserving energy. Once you calm your nervous system and teach your body it’s safe, cravings ease up, your metabolism works properly, and weight loss actually becomes sustainable.

Bringing It All Together

If any of this sounds like your daily reality, know this: you’re not failing. Your nervous system is just asking for care. Step by step, you can teach your body to feel safe again.

And that’s when everything—your health, your weight, your energy—starts to shift.

Next Steps for You

If you’re nodding along thinking, This is me, here are ways to start your reset journey today:

• Take my free quiz, What’s Sabotaging Your Healthy Habits? to discover your hidden roadblocks.

• Download my free guides:

  • The Inner Critic Playbook—uncover the food mindsets sabotaging your success.

  • What Spikes Me? Workbook—track how your body responds to stress and food.

• Book a free 60-minute consultation with me. Together, we’ll map out a personalized plan to calm your nervous system and reach your goals.

Affiliate Disclaimer

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I trust and believe will genuinely support your health journey.