Why is this important for HSP?
Research shows that how high sensitivity is expressed in an individual is a result of nature and nurture. A Highly Sensitive Person is more responsive to environmental stimuli than a non-sensitive person. As a result, our nervous systems can become more easily dysregulated when we’re in an environment that is overstimulating or not conducive to our needs. This can be compared to having a lower sensory threshold; it takes less sensory stimuli for the nervous system to be impacted.
It’s important to remember that being dysregulated doesn’t always mean angry or out-of-control behaviour - as HSP we may freeze or dissociate. Nervous system dysregulation means to be in either the flight, fight or freeze response and no longer in the parasympathetic ventral vagal state - which is when we’re in a state of ‘rest and digest’. When we are in this socially engaged state, our pre-frontal cortex is switched on, and we have the capacity to choose how we respond to stressors - we can self-regulate.
Polyvagal Theory and the Nervous System
Polyvagal Theory is a very helpful framework for working with HSP because it provides a neurobiological understanding of the connection between the mind, body, and emotions. It tells us that, ‘every response is an action in service of survival’. Research shows us that high sensitivity has evolved as it is advantageous in terms of survival - we detect threats and opportunities more than non-sensitive people, therefore, it makes sense that our nervous system is more responsive to stressors in the environment.
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is responsible for functions that are generally outside
voluntary control and is responsible for creating homeostasis in the body. There are three neural circuits that support different types of behaviour:
● Social engagement (parasympathetic - ventral vagal)
● fight or flight behaviour (sympathetic)
● shutting down (parasympathetic - dorsal vagal)
There is also an evolutionary timeline attached to these different systems - which relates to the evolution of the brain over hundreds of millions of years. The dorsal vagal is the oldest part of the brain, which developed over 500 million years ago and is connected to the reptilian brain, the sympathetic is around 400 million years old, and the socially engaged ventral vagal is a more recent development in mammals related to the mammalian brain which is about 200 million years old. The two divisions of the autonomic nervous system are the sympathetic nervous system, which is associated with the fight-or-flight response, and the parasympathetic system, which is further divided into the ‘rest’ and ‘digest’, or the shut-down response.
The sympathetic Nervous System
The sympathetic nervous system is what is activated when we’re in fight or flight. This is where we feel anxious and restless, and we have physical symptoms such as a racing heart and sweaty palms. It is a response to a threat or a perceived threat and is a normal and necessary response of the nervous system. The activation of the sympathetic nervous system only becomes a problem when it stays activated because of perceived threats - unfortunately, many of us are operating from this state all of the time because of stressors at work and too much stimuli in our environment. Even scrolling on our phones or watching the news can activate a sympathetic response. For HSP, the sympathetic nervous system is activated more easily because of our heightened neuroception and ability to ‘detect threats’
.
Neuroception
Neuroception refers to the ability of our autonomic nervous system to detect safety, dangers or threats - this all happens without conscious awareness. It is what results in gut or heart-informed somatic signals. Neuroception happens without conscious awareness and
may shift our nervous system into the fight-flight or freeze response without us even consciously knowing why. It is theorised that the HSP nervous system is even more sensitive to the detection of threats or dangers therefore, our nervous system may be activated more easily into the fight or flight (sympathetic response).
The Parasympathetic & The Vagus Nerve
The vagus nerve is part of the parasympathetic system (the rest-and-digest system) and is the longest cranial nerve. It reaches the majority of the body’s organs. The vagus nerve has two branches: the dorsal and ventral vagal branches.
Dorsal Vagal
The dorsal branch regulates organs below the diaphragm. From an evolutionary standpoint, this is a much older part of the nervous system and is connected to the ‘reptilian’ part of the brain. It is the dorsal vagal nerve that activates the shutdown response when the body is overwhelmed.
When our sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) goes into overdrive, and we can’t do the fighting or fleeing - the dorsal vagal parasympathetic nervous system takes control. It causes freezing or shutting down as a form of self-preservation. When the dorsal vagal nerve shuts down the body, it can move us into immobility or dissociation. It takes us out of connection, out of awareness, and into a protective state of collapse. When we feel frozen, numb, or “not here” the dorsal vagal system has taken control.
Ventral Vagus Nerve
In contrast, the ventral branch on the vagus nerve affects the body’s functioning above the
diaphragm and controls the muscles of the face, heart, and lungs - these are the parts of the
body used to interact with others. From an evolutionary standpoint, it’s the most recent addition and is connected to the ‘mammalian brain’. This distinctively mammalian system fosters what Steven Porges calls ‘social engagement’. According to Dr. Porges, social engagement, in turn, tends to down-regulate (calm) the sympathetic nervous system and the fight response or bring us out of the ‘shut down’ response. We use social engagement and social communication to co-regulate- this is a huge part of what is going on in our coaching sessions with HSP clients.
Window of Tolerance
The fight, flight or freeze response means we are outside of our window of tolerance and we are no longer in a resourceful state. When HSP are able to enter into ‘social engagement’ and are in a resourceful state, they have entered into what is also referred to as the window of tolerance (Siegel, 2010). Being inside one’s window of tolerance is critical for highly sensitive people who are often overstimulated and struggling to find clarity on their next steps because they are experiencing nervous system dysregulation, hyperarousal or hypoarousal (Aron, 2010). It is possible through a variety of techniques to help clients expand their window of tolerance within coaching sessions and embody this resourceful state into their day-to-day lives. When HSP are in their window of tolerance and are open and receptive to their wider field of awareness, they can tap into other ways of knowing and allow for unconscious material to emerge through bodily sensations, feelings, thoughts, and imagery and integrate the material in a transformative and resourceful way (De Vitto, 2023).
As HSPs we can have difficulty regulating ourselves when in overwhelming or challenging environments, in other words, we are more easily knocked off balance or out of our window of tolerance. However, it’s not all ‘bad news’ - vantage sensitivity highlights that we have the ability to self-regulate and come back into our window of tolerance when we have the right resources or tools available. This is why it’s so crucial to learn and become confident in our ability to self-sooth and self-regulate. To summarise, it’s not that we can’t self-soothe or self-regulate, but we need the right tools and might need to access these tools more often than non-sensitive people.
Connecting with Inner Strengths & Resources
We all have inner resources and an innate resilience that can help us bounce back from stressful or overwhelming situations. I encourage you to think of ways to cultivate these strengths and use them as a resource. These resources vary from person to person and so it is helpful to ask - what works for you? Or, what do you notice helping? Some of us might need sensory regulation - such as a weighted blanket, a warm bath, or a cold shower. Others might need social contact, such as speaking to friends, while others need to be outside in nature or need to journal to process their emotions.
General Techniques
There are some general ‘hacks’ that can be used for those in the shutdown or fight or flight, and they are as follows:
● Prolonged Exhale: Taking a long out-breath is one of the fastest ways to calm your
vagus nerve. Breathe in through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
● Cold Water: If you are feeling anxious or shut down, splash cold water on your face. Or,
place an ice cube on your face, anywhere from your lips to your scalp line.
● Butterfly Hug: Hug yourself. Wrap your arms around your body and place each hand on
your opposite shoulder. Pat one shoulder and then the other until you feel calm.
● Sing or Hum: The muscles in the back of your throat activate the vagus nerve as they
move.
● Physical Contact: Connect with an animal, another person, weighted blanket -
something with provides a physical sense of safety
● Small movements: Helps the body discharge some energy or move out of the dorsal
vagal response
● Meditation of Mindfulness: Helps to bring you into the present moment, especially
bringing awareness to tension held in the body and relaxing this tension through a body
scan is particularly important.
● Relaxing the Face: Subtle movements of the jaw to release tension and relaxing the
muscles around the forehead and eyes can also bring the body back into a rest and
digest state.
● Engage your Senses: Cook, eat crunchy foods, listen to music, go outside, hold an ice
cube in your hand.
As we’ve explored, our heightened responsiveness to environmental stimuli can make it challenging to maintain balance in overstimulating environments. However, it also provides a unique ability to detect subtle shifts, process deeply, and thrive when the right tools and resources are available.
Polyvagal theory offers a powerful framework for understanding the HSP nervous system, emphasising the importance of the fight, flight, or freeze response as these states are natural responses designed to protect us. Learning tools and resources that work for us can help us enter back into our window of tolerance where we can feel grounded, resourceful, and socially engaged.
Being a HSP is not about eliminating sensitivity but embracing it with care and intention. Through the practices of self-regulation, connection, and compassion, we can not only manage our sensitivity but use it as a powerful tool for navigating life’s challenges and cultivating greater well-being.
References
Aron, E. N. (2010). Psychotherapy and the highly sensitive person: Improving outcomes for that minority of people who are the majority of clients (1st ed.). Routledge.
Dana, Deb. (2020). Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection: 50 Client-Centered Practices. 1st ed. New York, N.Y .: W. W. Norton & Company.
De Vitto, J. (2023). An interpretative case study exploring open awareness within
transpersonal coaching for highly sensitive people. Transpersonal Coaching Psychology Journal, Vol. 2, pp. 25-32.
Levine P . A. (2010). In an Unspoken Voice: How The Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.
Siegel, D. (2010). The developing mind: How relationships and the brain interact to shape who we are (3rd ed.). The Guilford Press
About the Author
Jules De Vitto has a BSc in Psychology, MA in Education and MSc in Transpersonal Psychology, Consciousness and Spirituality and is an accredited transpersonal coach, trainer and experienced educator. She is the founder of the Highly Sensitive Human Academy - a central hub that offers courses, coaching, articles and a podcast for Highly Sensitive People. She helps those who identify with the traits of high sensitivity to navigate emotional overwhelm, step into their authentic power and align with their true purpose in life.
She is a published author and wrote one of a series of books on Resilience, Navigating Loss in a time of Crisis. Her research has also been published in the Transpersonal Coaching Psychology Journal and Journal of Consciousness, Spirituality, and Transpersonal Psychology.
In addition to her academic and coaching pursuits, Jules has spent years engaging in deep transformative healing work. She is a Reiki Master and Teacher and has completed Michael Harner’s Shamanic Practitioner Training through the Foundation of Shamanic Studies and a Grief Ritual Leadership Training with Francis Weller.
Jules is passionate about creating community for Highly Sensitive People and embracing the full spectrum of our emotional and sensory capacities rather than trying to ‘fix’ ourselves. Deepening the connection to our sensitivity enables us to open our hearts and form better relationships with ourselves, others and the world.