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How Stress Affects the Body – Understanding the Autonomic Nervous System

Enestee Ltd | Counselling & Wellbeing | Greenfield, Flintshire

At Enestee Ltd, we know how often clients come to us experiencing not just emotional overwhelm but physical symptoms too — headaches, fatigue, digestive issues, and more. Many are surprised to learn that all of these can be connected to a single, often overlooked system in the body: the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS).

What Is the Autonomic Nervous System?

The ANS acts like the body's internal control centre. It regulates essential, automatic processes like:

• Heart rate

• Blood pressure

• Digestion

• Hormonal balance

• Immune responses

Because the ANS quietly keeps these systems in check, we don’t often think about it — until something goes wrong.

When our nervous system becomes dysregulated, usually due to prolonged stress or trauma, this balance gets disrupted. That’s when symptoms can start to appear.

Signs Your Nervous System Might Be Dysregulated

You may notice one or more of the following:

• Chronic pain

• Low energy or constant fatigue

• Anxiety or panic

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or other digestive concerns

• Frequent headaches or migraines

• Skin flare-ups like rashes or eczema

• Autoimmune symptoms or flare-ups

These aren’t just random health issues. They’re often the body’s way of saying it’s overwhelmed — and struggling to return to balance.

How Stress Shrinks Our Window of Tolerance

When we’re exposed to stress — especially ongoing or unresolved stress — we tend to stay stuck in “survival mode.” This includes states like:

• Fight (anger, frustration)

• Flight (anxiety, overactivity)

• Freeze (numbness, withdrawal)

Over time, our window of tolerance (the zone where we feel calm and regulated) narrows. That means smaller challenges start to feel overwhelming, and our ability to recover from stress becomes limited.

This can happen gradually — without us even realising it — until we start to feel “off” much of the time.

How Can Counselling Help Rebalance the Nervous System?

The good news is, the nervous system is highly adaptable. With the right support, it can heal.

At Enestee Ltd, we offer trauma-informed counselling and wellbeing services that support your nervous system to return to a more balanced, regulated state. Through techniques like Talking Therapy, Mindfulness, Hypnotherapy & The Rewind Technique, grounding tools, and tailored therapeutic approaches, we help clients:

• Reconnect with calm

• Feel safer in their bodies

• Expand their window of tolerance

• Regain resilience and clarity

As the nervous system starts to settle, physical symptoms often improve as well — because the body and mind are deeply connected.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been feeling stuck in cycles of stress, anxiety or unexplained physical symptoms, know that you’re not alone — and there is a path to relief. By understanding and working with your nervous system, you can begin to heal at the root, not just manage the symptoms.

To find out how Enestee Ltd can support you on this journey, get in touch today.