Is Your Nervous System Addicted to Stress?

You finally sit down after a big day to relax, but your brain starts scanning for something to do. Maybe feel the pull or restlessness to check emails, tidy up, scroll, run through your to-do list, plan tomorrow’s meals, or replay conversations from the day. Sound familiar?

You’re not alone! For so many of us, calm doesn’t actually feel calm. It can feel uncomfortable, unfamiliar, or even unsafe. And there’s a reason for that. Sometimes, our nervous system becomes addicted to stress - not because we want to be stressed, but because it’s what our body has learned to call ‘normal’.

 

When Chaos Feels Comfortable

If you grew up in an environment where tension, urgency or emotional unpredictability were common, your body may have learned that being on high alert felt safest. That state of activation was protective, it helped you stay prepared, connected and in control when things felt uncertain.

And even as adults, the pressures of modern life can reinforce this pattern. The constant pace, notifications, and expectations to always be ‘on’ can make it feel like we have no choice but to push through discomfort and stress just to get by.

As an adult, this can look like:

• Feeling restless when sitting down or things are quiet
• Overcommitting or saying yes to too much
• Feeling exhausted but unable to rest
• Needing constant stimulation - caffeine, screens, music, podcasts (noise!)
• Struggling to feel settled unless something’s happening or distracting you

It’s not that you love or are choosing chaos, it’s that your nervous system has adapted to this way of being. Over time, that heightened state becomes familiar. But feeling calm, on the other hand, can feel foreign and uncomfortable.

The Mind-Body Connection of Stress

Stress isn’t just in the mind; it’s also physiological. When we’re chronically activated, our body uses up key nutrients that support calm and balance, such as magnesium, B vitamins, and amino acids like L-Tryptophan, which help produce serotonin and melatonin.

 

When we’re depleted, it becomes even harder to self-regulate, which is why supporting your body through nourishment and rest is just as important as emotional awareness.

This is where nutrition and natural supplements can be such powerful allies. Blends like Nu Harvest’s Beauty Sleep and Choc Mint Moon Mylk contain magnesium, passionflower, lemon balm extract, and L-Tryptophan, ingredients known to support nervous system relaxation and better sleep! When your body feels safe and replenished, your mind can start to follow.

The Science of Stress Addiction

Every time we experience stress, our body releases adrenaline and cortisol, the same hormones that prepare us to fight or flee. These chemicals give us a temporary boost of energy, focus or motivation. But when stress becomes our baseline, our body starts to rely on those chemicals to function. Without that familiar rush, we can feel flat or unmotivated, leading us to unconsciously seek stimulation again - caffeine, screens, constant activity.

Please know this is a biological survival pattern, not a personality flaw. And the beautiful thing is: it can be changed with the right support.

Relearning Calm

The nervous system and brain are incredibly adaptable. Just as it learned to thrive in chaos, it can learn to feel safe in calm. The key is gentle, small and repeated exposure to stillness and regulation.

Start small:

1. Notice when your body starts to seek stimulation - racing thoughts, tension, fidgeting, or the urge to reach for your phone.

2. Pause and orient to the present. Find a way to ground yourself. Feel your feet on the floor, take a slow breath, or look around the room to remind your body that you’re safe right now.

3. Replenish and meet your body with nourishment, rest and hydration so it has the resources to downshift.
   

Each time you interrupt the stress cycle, you’re sending your nervous system a new message, that it no longer needs to stay on high alert to be safe. And if finding that calm feels out of reach on your own, the support of a therapist can help guide you there with care and safety.

Supporting Your Body Through the Process

As you begin to recalibrate your nervous system, it’s important to support your body physically as well as emotionally. When the body is nourished and hydrated, it has more capacity to regulate and sit with discomfort.

You can try:

• Electrolytes for hydration and steady energy throughout the day.
• Protein to stabilise blood sugar and support balanced mood and focus.
• Creatine for mental performance and nervous system resilience.
• Beauty Sleep or Choc Mint Moon Mylk to unwind and rest deeply at night.
• Chai Latte with botanicals & fibre for a grounding morning ritual that supports digestion and calm energy.
  

These small, nourishing choices help your body feel grounded, teaching it that calm is not a threat, but a state it can safely return to.

 

Why This Matters

Being ‘addicted to stress’ isn’t something bad or wrong, please know it’s simply your body’s way of telling you that it needs more support.

Supporting your nervous system isn’t about forcing calm (that would be bypassing), it’s about building safety around stress, and slowly showing your body that it can experience activated energy without staying stuck there.

Through small, consistent choices that regulate and replenish you, you can show your nervous system that stillness can be safe, that peace and productivity can coexist, and that you can feel energised without being in overdrive.

If you’ve been feeling wired, restless, or always ‘on’, take this as your reminder to support your body as you rewire for calm. When we nourish the body, the mind follows.

Support your mind and body with the nourishment of Nu Harvest’s products that help you feel steady and centred. 

You can use my code SOPHIAP at checkout for 15% off your order.