Polyvagal Theory: What is it?

🌿 Polyvagal Basics: Your Nervous System in Real Life

Understanding the Polyvagal Ladder:

What Your Body’s Been Trying to Tell You All Along

When people first hear the term polyvagal theory, it can sound overly clinical or complicated. But what if I told you, it’s something you already feel every day?

Polyvagal theory is simply a map of how your nervous system responds to the world.
It’s the science of how your body tracks for safety—and what it does when it doesn’t feel safe.

At Sanctum & Soil, we love this framework not because it’s trendy, but because it’s true. It explains so much of our emotional, relational, and physical experience with surprising clarity—and deep compassion.

🧠 What Is Polyvagal Theory?

Polyvagal theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, shows us that the vagus nerve is key to how we regulate stress, connect with others, and recover from threat.

It describes three main states of the nervous system:

1. Ventral Vagal (Safe + Social)

2. Sympathetic (Fight/Flight)

3. Dorsal Vagal (Freeze/Shutdown)

We move through these states all day long. The goal isn’t to “stay regulated” at all times—it’s to develop awareness and flexibility so we can respond skillfully.

🌞 1. Ventral Vagal: Safe + Social

When you're in ventral vagal, you feel grounded, connected, and present. This is the state where healing, learning, creativity, and intimacy happen.

🪶 In real life, this might feel like:

• Smiling easily at someone you trust

• Feeling calm during a walk in nature

• Being able to speak honestly and listen openly

• A sense of “I can be with this moment as it is”

💡 When we say “regulation,” we don’t mean perfection—we mean your body can return here after stress.

⚡ 2. Sympathetic: Fight or Flight

This is your mobilization system—activated when your body detects a threat.

You might not be running from a tiger, but your nervous system can’t tell the difference between a harsh comment and actual danger. It just knows "I don’t feel safe."

🔥 In daily life, this might show up as:

• Racing thoughts, restlessness, irritability

• Snapping at a loved one and regretting it

• Feeling overwhelmed in a crowded room

• Constantly preparing for “what’s next” without rest

The sympathetic state isn’t bad. It’s protective. But if you live here too long, you’ll burn out.

🌫️ 3. Dorsal Vagal: Freeze + Shut Down

When the nervous system decides the threat is too much to fight or flee, it drops into dorsal vagal—a state of withdrawal and numbness.

🕳️ In real life, this might feel like:

• Feeling heavy, checked out, or invisible

• Emotional numbness or disconnection from others

• Saying “I’m fine” when you feel like collapsing inside

• Wanting to disappear, sleep excessively, or avoid everything

This is often the nervous system’s last-resort safety strategy. It’s not weakness. It’s wisdom born from overwhelm.

💛 Why This Matters

Most of us move through these states without even realizing it.
We just think we’re “too emotional,” “too tired,” “too sensitive.”

But when you can say:

“Oh, my nervous system is in fight.”
“I’m in freeze—what do I need to come back online?”

...you reclaim choice. You build nervous system literacy.

And from there, you build regulation, trust, and resilience.

🌿 Try This: Polyvagal Check-In

Each day this week, pause and ask:

1. Where am I on the ladder right now?
   (Safe? Activated? Numb?)

2. What signs do I notice in my body or breath?

3. What’s one gentle thing I can do to support myself?

This isn’t about judgment—it’s about compassion and clarity.

You’re not broken. You’re patterned. And patterns can shift.

The next blog will explore body awareness—how to actually feel those nervous system cues, and what they’re trying to teach you.

You deserve to feel safe in your own skin. Let’s keep building that foundation—together.

With softness and science,
Anique
Founder, Sanctum & Soil