You Don’t Feel Stressed—So Why Are You Wired, Craving, and Crashing?
- Anne Jones
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking,
“Wait… I don’t feel stressed, but my body definitely seems to be…”
You’re not alone—and you’re not broken.
You might just be living in what I call low-key chaos mode:
✔ You’re checking off the to-do list
✔ Showing up for everyone
✔ Holding it all together on the outside…
But your body is whispering, “Hey, I need a second.”
What Dysregulation Actually Looks Like (Even If You Don’t Feel “Stressed”)
We often think of stress as meltdown-level moments—ugly crying, yelling, panic attacks.
But chronic, quiet dysregulation can show up like this:
That flip in your stomach when your phone dings
Craving snacks you don’t even like just to feel a hit of relief
Struggling to relax even when nothing’s wrong
Feeling “on” all day and crashing hard at night
Snapping at your kid for something tiny, then immediately feeling guilty
Sound familiar?
This isn’t just stress. It’s your nervous system living in high-alert mode—and most women don’t even realize it’s happening because it feels normal.
It’s just… Tuesday.
The Cortisol Confusion
Is it cortisol? Maybe. But the goal here isn’t to demonize cortisol—it’s not a villain. It’s a messenger.
Your body is doing what it’s designed to do: protect you.
But when there’s no “off switch,” the constant simmer drains your energy, messes with your mood, makes weight loss harder, and keeps you stuck in go-go-go survival mode.
Here’s the Good News: You Can Shift It
You don’t need a 90-minute spa day or a meditation retreat in Bali.
You just need to build in regulation on purpose. Every day.
Regulating your nervous system isn’t just about “feeling calm.”
It’s about giving your body permission to come back to neutral—so it doesn’t hijack your energy, cravings, or confidence.
And when you start doing that regularly?
Your mood improves.
You stop reaching for food when you’re not hungry.
You sleep better.
Your body stops clinging to fat.
You feel like yourself again.
My Go-To Regulation Ritual
I call it the Regulation Timer Ritual, and it’s the easiest thing I’ve added to my day:
I set 3-5 timers during the day (mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and early evening).
When it goes off, I pause for 60–90 seconds.
I choose 1 simple regulation practice based on what I need in that moment:
Alternate tapping on my thighs while breathing slowly
A single round of box breathing (4 in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold)

That’s it.
It’s not a workout for your nervous system. It’s a reset.
Ready to Regulate?
If you’re realizing, “Oh wow… I’ve been in a constant state of almost stress,”—
You’re not failing. You’re just a high-achiever in a high-pressure world.
Let’s get you back to baseline.
Your body is on your team.
Let’s help her catch her breath.
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