Recently, I walked through something really heavy in my personal life— and it pushed my nervous system to the edge.

My husband was in India during a time of rising political unrest, and there were long stretches where I couldn’t even confirm he was safe.
There were drone attacks nearby. Power outages. No cell service.
I was constantly refreshing the news, checking my phone, crying in waves, and doing my best to function.

It was a time where everything I teach had to become everything I practiced.

And now that things have calmed down, I’ve been reflecting on one of the biggest patterns I see—both in my own body and in the women I support.

It’s something most people don’t talk about.

That crash that hits when the crisis ends.

There’s a name for it.

It’s called the let-down effect, and it’s one of the most overlooked nervous system patterns I see in high-achieving women, healthcare professionals, and anyone who’s been holding it together for too long.

What Is the Let-Down Effect?
When you're under prolonged stress, your body produces a steady stream of cortisol and adrenaline to help you stay alert, focused, and functional.

This is your sympathetic nervous system doing its job—keeping you in survival mode so you can get through what’s in front of you.

But here’s the catch: your body can’t stay in that state forever.

When the stressor finally passes and your nervous system tries to relax, you may experience:

Fatigue

Brain fog

Anxiety or depression

Physical illness or pain

Emotional shutdown

This is the let-down effect—the crash that happens when your stress hormones drop too quickly after being elevated for too long.

It’s Not That You’re Weak—It’s That You’re Human
Your body is doing what it was designed to do: protect you through stress.

But without support along the way, that sudden hormonal drop-off can feel like total depletion.

That’s why nervous system regulation isn’t just something you do after the crisis.
It’s something you practice during—so your body doesn’t store the cost of survival for later.

So What Is Nervous System Regulation?
Nervous system regulation is the body’s ability to respond to stress in a flexible, adaptive way—and then return to calm once the stressor has passed.

It’s not about staying zen 24/7.
It’s about knowing how to come back to center.

Regulation isn’t a one-time solution.
It’s a practice.
And the practices don’t have to be complicated.

How to Support Your System (Before the Crash)
Here are a few of my go-to ways to support the nervous system—especially during high-stress seasons:

Breathwork — Slow exhales cue your body to shift out of fight-or-flight

EFT tapping — Helps process emotion and lower cortisol

Grounding movement — Gentle walks, yoga, or even laying on the floor

Sound healing — Vibration supports vagus nerve regulation and deep rest

Rest + hydration — The nervous system loves consistency and care

Connection — A safe, supportive voice is one of the strongest regulators we have

These aren’t luxuries.
They’re how we teach the body it’s safe to come back into balance.

Final Thoughts
The let-down effect is real.
But it doesn’t have to define your recovery.

You don’t have to wait for the stress to end before you start caring for yourself.
In fact, healing begins while it’s still messy.

If this resonated with you, I recorded a podcast episode while I was still in the middle of my own high-stress moment.

🎧 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ready-to-rise/id1541500424?i=1000706914354 

And if you're craving consistent, body-based support that goes beyond theory, the RISE Sisterhood is open.
We focus on real regulation—not just information.

With you,
Audrey