Allostatic Load, Autonomic Dysregulation & How Yoga Therapy Helps You Rebalance
Stress is part of being human - but when the demands of life keep coming without enough recovery time, our body begins to work harder than it should. Two terms often used to describe this are allostatic load and autonomic dysregulation. They sound complex, but the truth is simple: they explain why we feel overwhelmed, exhausted, anxious, wired, flat, or unable to switch off.
In yoga therapy, we see these patterns every day - and with the right support, they can change.
What is Allostatic Load?
Allostasis is the way your body adapts to stress. Your heart rate lifts, cortisol rises, digestion slows - and when the stress passes, everything settles again.
Allostatic load is the “wear and tear” that builds up when stress becomes long term or relentless.
Your stress response never fully switches off, and instead of recovering, your system stays in a state of ongoing effort.
Common signs include:
- Difficulty switching off
- Tired-but-wired energy
- Poor sleep
- Low mood or anxiety
- Brain fog
- Digestive issues
- Chronic pain or inflammation
- Feeling overwhelmed by small tasks
This is not weakness. It’s biology.
What is Autonomic Dysregulation?
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is the part of the body that controls your stress response, rest, digestion, heartbeat, hormones and more. It has two main branches:
- Sympathetic: speeds things up
- Parasympathetic (vagus nerve): slows things down
A healthy nervous system moves fluidly between the two.
Autonomic dysregulation happens when this rhythm becomes imbalanced - often because the system has been under pressure for too long. You may feel “stuck on” (alert, anxious, overstimulated) or “stuck off” (exhausted, flat, shut-down), or you may swing between the two.
This can appear as:
- Anxiety or panic feelings
- Irritability
- Sudden fatigue
- Noise sensitivity
- Hormonal or digestive changes
- Pain flare-ups
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feeling disconnected or numb
Again - not a personal failure. A physiological response.
How Yoga Therapy Helps
Yoga therapy offers gentle, evidence-informed tools to restore balance. Unlike general yoga classes, sessions are completely personalised and grounded in physiology, breathwork, somatics and mind-body science.
1. Calms chronic stress
Slow, breath-led movement reduces sympathetic over-activation and helps lower the markers of allostatic load.
2. Improves vagal tone
Coherent breathing (5–6 breaths per minute), humming, supported poses and Yoga Nidra activate the parasympathetic system, helping you settle more easily.
3. Supports emotional & sensory regulation
Interoceptive practices help you recognise what your body needs — rest, nourishment, boundaries, or movement.
4. Reduces pain and inflammation
Gentle somatic work shifts muscle tension, reduces pain signals and supports restorative sleep.
5. Builds resilience over time
With regular practice, the “window of tolerance” widens. Stressful moments feel more manageable, and recovery becomes quicker.
In Summary
Allostatic load = the long-term impact of stress
Autonomic dysregulation = a nervous system struggling to find balance
Yoga therapy = a personalised, compassionate way to support the body to reset
If you’d like to explore how yoga therapy might help, you’re always welcome to book a 1:1 session or a free discovery call.
