NCSB Journal Spring 2026

Becoming an Active Operator of Your Nervous System A central premise of The Science of Steady is that participants can become what my teacher and Applied Polyvagal Theory expert Deb Dana calls an “active operator of your own nervous system,” rather than floundering under stress. As Deb emphasizes, “The goal is not to eliminate stress, but to become an active operator of your nervous system.” By learning to respond effectively to stress and consciously engage the parasympathetic nervous system to return to baseline, we can optimize physical health, enhance professional performance, and experience greater enjoyment in life. It is empowering to learn that we can in fluence our own body’s stress response and therefore reclaim our health through nervous system regulation. Science of Steady course par ticipants learned mindfulness skills to identify when and how their systems were having a neuropsychobiological response to stress, as well as tools to regulate their stress response in the body as it arises. Through guided medita tions, participants tuned into different physi ological systems looking for clues of chronic stress and nervous system dysregulation. Iden tifying the clues is the first step toward rest and recovery. Effective Frameworks for Neuropsychobi ological Health Using neuropsychobiology to examine lawyers’ and judges’ health introduces an in novative framework for understanding and mitigating stress while optimizing resilience and performance in our profession. From my experience offering individual coaching and organizational trainings, the frameworks that most successfully support self-regulation and neuropsychobiological restoration draw from the following modalities: Somatic intelligence —ability to recognize early signs of stress and calm your system at the first signs of stress; example: noticing shoul der tension or a racing heartbeat from an ur gent email and pausing to breathe before re sponding. Expanded capacity of your “Window of Tolerance” 1 —ability to remain functional un der pressure; example: remaining clear-headed during tense negotiations or back-to-back hear ings without feeling overwhelmed. Mind-body regulation practices —ability to stay connected to the body during mental

This ability to shift states is critical for both physical wellness and cognitive performance. When the nervous system is well-regulated, it supports attention, memory, and problem solving, while also enabling the brain to process information efficiently and adapt effectively to changing demands—all essential for prac ticing law. Problems with Prolonged Stress Problems arise when stress activation is prolonged and recovery is insufficient, which is a typical scenario for most of us in the legal profession. Attorneys and judges sustain a heavy cognitive load, adversarial dynamics, urgent requests, and elevated responsibility while working long hours with insufficient time for sleep and rest. All work and no play maintains the nervous system in a prolonged upregulated stress activation loop, which leads to long-term health consequences and diminished cogni tive performance. For example, Jordan is a transactional attorney and starts the day getting kids ready for school before jumping straight into overnight emails from opposing coun sel and clients. The rest of the day is filled with drafting and revising agreements, back-to-back calls, and a midday negotia tion that accelerates deadlines and raises stakes. The afternoon brings diligence issues, client questions, and meetings with multiple parties, overriding meals and breaks. On the commute home from work, Jordan responds to texts while listening to the news. After dinner and bedtime rou tines at home, Jordan works several more hours. With little downtime or recovery, Jordan’s nervous system stays in a pro longed upregulated state without complet ing its stress cycle. When it is time to sleep, Jordan’s chest is tight and mind is spinning which compromises needed recovery and sleep. System-Wide Effects of Nervous System Dysregulation Below is a list of examples of the effects of how chronic sympathetic nervous system ac tivation impacts various physiological systems of the body. Cardiovascular system ● Has been linked to: Sustained elevation of heart rate and blood pressure ● Health consequence: Increased risk of hy pertension

Endocrine system (HPA axis) ● Has been linked to: Prolonged cortisol se cretion ● Health consequence: Abdominal fat accu mulation Immune system ● Has been linked to: Impaired immune function ● Health consequence: Increased suscepti bility to infections Digestive (gastrointestinal) system ● Has been linked to: Reduced digestive motility and secretions ● Health consequence: Irritable Bowel Syn drome (IBS)-type symptoms Metabolic system ● Has been linked to: Increased insulin re sistance ● Health consequence: Higher risk of type two diabetes Musculoskeletal system ● Has been linked to: Persistent muscle ten sion ● Health consequence: Chronic physical pain Respiratory system ● Has been linked to: Rapid, shallow breath ing patterns ● Health consequence: Shortness of breath, lightheadedness Reproductive system ● Has been linked to: Suppression of go nadotropin release ● Health consequence: Reduced fertility or impaired reproductive function Renal/fluid regulation system ● Has been linked to: Increased sodium and fluid retention ● Health consequence: Elevated blood pres sure Integumentary system (skin, hair) ● Has been linked to: Reduced peripheral circulation ● Health consequence: Delayed wound heal ing Sleep and circadian regulation ● Has been linked to: Hyperarousal of the nervous system ● Health consequence: Insomnia While these health issues do not arise from nervous system activity alone, and the phys iology behind them is complex, chronic sym pathetic nervous system activation can erode physiological resilience and contribute to their onset and progression over time. Do any of the examples on the list reflect health con cerns that you or a colleague have been ad dressing?

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THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE BAR JOURNAL