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Regulate

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ALPIMS PRACTICAL SUPPORT

Regulate

Help your body, brain and nervous system find a more manageable state.

Regulation is not just about calming down. Sometimes it means changing what is happening around you. Sometimes it means supporting what is happening inside you. Often it is a combination of both.

Start here ↓ Outside → In Inside → Out
NOT SURE WHERE TO START?

First, notice what is happening.

You do not have to work everything out. A quick check-in may help you notice whether your emotions, body, sensory load, capacity or something else needs attention.

CHECK IN WITH HOW I FEEL How do I feel right now? Notice emotions, overwhelm, stress or the state you seem to be in. CHECK IN WITH MY BODY What is happening in my body? Check whether pain, fatigue, hunger, thirst, temperature, sensory needs or another physical need may be adding load.

Use either check-in, both, or skip them and continue below.

NOTICE → SUPPORT → REASSESS

Regulation is not about forcing yourself to be calm.

Once you have some idea of what may be happening, the next question can be: what would help make this more manageable?

Sometimes that means changing something outside you — less noise, fewer demands, more support, rest or a different environment.

Sometimes it means supporting something inside you — grounding, orienting, movement, sensory regulation, breathing if helpful, or skills for managing strong emotions.

Often, it is a combination of both.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

Three useful principles

Regulation does not have to be complicated.

Comfort & needs first Check physical needs, sensory load and immediate discomfort before assuming you need a coping strategy.
Small steps When capacity is low, one manageable change may be enough.
Support before pressure Sometimes the useful response is more support or less demand — not trying harder.
TWO WAYS IN

Where might the most useful change be?

You do not need to choose perfectly. Outside-in and inside-out strategies can be used together.

OUTSIDE → IN

Change what your system has to manage

Sometimes the most useful regulation strategy is changing the conditions around you.

  • Reduce sensory load
  • Reduce demands
  • Pause and pace
  • Increase predictability
  • Support physical needs
  • Get practical help
Explore Outside → In ↓
INSIDE → OUT

Help your system shift state

Sometimes body-based, sensory, attention or emotional-regulation strategies can help make the experience more manageable.

  • Grounding
  • Orienting
  • Breathing if helpful
  • Movement and rhythm
  • Sensory regulation
  • Stress and nervous-system tools
  • DBT-informed strategies
  • Co-regulation
Explore Inside → Out ↓
OUTSIDE → IN

Change what your system has to manage

Before adding another regulation exercise, see whether some of the load itself can be reduced.

1 SENSORY LOAD Reduce overwhelming input

Reducing sensory demand can leave more capacity for thinking, communicating, moving and recovering.

Sound Move somewhere quieter, reduce competing sounds or use helpful hearing protection.
Light & visual input Dim lights, reduce screens, clutter or visual activity.
Smell Move away from irritating or overwhelming smells where possible.
People & touch Reduce conversation, crowding, touch or social input if needed.
Sensory Support → Environment →
2 DEMAND Reduce what is being asked

Overload may occur because the total demand has exceeded available physical, cognitive, sensory or emotional capacity.

Pause Does this actually need to happen now?
Postpone Move non-urgent demands to a better time.
Simplify Remove unnecessary steps, choices or expectations.
Stop Sometimes stopping something that is too much is an appropriate response.
Small Changes, Big Relief →
3 PACING & PAUSE Create space before you reach your limit

Regulation is often easier when pauses and recovery happen before complete overload or depletion.

Pause between demands Leave recovery space rather than immediately moving to the next task.
Break things up Shorter periods of activity may be more manageable.
Notice early signs Brain fog, irritability, pain, slowing down or increasing sensory sensitivity may be useful signals.
Protect recovery Being able to finish something does not necessarily mean it was sustainable.
Pacing & Pausing — Coming soon Managing Energy & Capacity — Coming soon
4 PREDICTABILITY Reduce uncertainty and thinking load

Uncertainty, changing plans, too many instructions and too many choices can increase stress and executive load.

Say what happens next Clear information can reduce uncertainty.
Reduce choices A small number of manageable options may be easier than an open-ended decision.
Use familiar routines Predictable patterns can reduce planning and decision demand.
Make it visible Written steps, lists, pictures, timers or reminders may help.
5 PHYSICAL NEEDS Make the body more comfortable

Physical discomfort and symptoms can increase stress, sensory sensitivity and difficulty regulating.

Food & fluids Could hunger, thirst or a missed basic need be adding load?
Temperature Too hot, cold, stuffy or uncomfortable?
Position Sit, lie down, change position or add physical support.
Symptoms Pain, migraine, dizziness, fatigue or illness may need attention.
What is happening in my body? → Understanding Symptoms →
6 SUPPORT Reduce how much you have to manage alone

Sometimes the missing regulation strategy is practical support.

Do it together Shared participation can reduce initiation and planning load.
Take something over Another person may temporarily handle a task that exceeds capacity.
Prompt A simple cue may be enough to make the next step possible.
Stay nearby Presence can help without requiring conversation or problem-solving.
Make Possible → Co-Regulation — Coming soon
INSIDE → OUT

Help your body and nervous system shift state

Choose tools that fit your body, brain, sensory profile and capacity. A strategy does not have to look traditionally “calm” to be regulating.

1 GROUNDING Connect with something steady in the present

Grounding directs attention towards something concrete, neutral or supportive in the present moment.

Feel support Notice the floor, chair, bed or another surface supporting you.
Hold something familiar A comfortable object, fabric or familiar item may provide an anchor.
Notice one thing One object, sound or sensation may be enough.
Use simple words “I am here.” “This is what is happening now.”
Neurodivergent adaptation: You do not have to complete a long 5-4-3-2-1 exercise or focus intensely on sensations. If internal body attention is uncomfortable, try external orienting instead.
Grounding & Orienting — Coming soon
2 ORIENTING Help the brain notice where you are now

Orienting means gently noticing the current environment rather than becoming more absorbed in internal distress.

Look around Let your eyes notice the room without forcing concentration.
Find something familiar Notice an object, person or feature you recognise.
Notice what is different now What tells you that you are here, now, in this place?
Use simple facts Where am I? What am I doing? What happens next?
Grounding & Orienting — Coming soon
3 BREATHING Use the breath if it helps

Slower, comfortable breathing can help some people reduce physiological arousal. It does not suit everyone.

Slow rather than deep Gentle breathing may feel easier than taking deliberately large breaths.
Comfortable exhale Some people find a slightly longer, comfortable out-breath settling.
Pair with movement Walking, rocking or another rhythm may make breath awareness easier.
Skip it If breath focus causes dizziness, panic, discomfort or excessive body monitoring, choose another strategy.
Breathing is an option — not a requirement. A useful regulation toolkit needs alternatives.
Breathing & Regulation — Coming soon
4 MOVEMENT & RHYTHM Regulation does not have to be still

Rhythm and repetitive movement can help some people organise attention, release activation or find a more comfortable state.

Rock or sway Use comfortable repetitive movement if your body seeks it.
Walk or pace Movement may help with agitation when physical capacity allows.
Stim Repetitive movement or sensory input may be an important neurodivergent regulation tool.
Rhythm Music, humming, tapping or familiar rhythm may help some people.
Movement needs to fit physical capacity. For someone with pain, dizziness, fatigue or post-exertional symptoms, less may be more.
Nervous System Regulation — Coming soon
5 SENSORY REGULATION Use helpful sensory input

Sensory regulation is not only about removing input. Sometimes the right kind of input can also help a system organise or settle.

Comfort A familiar blanket, comfortable clothing or supportive position.
Sound Quiet, familiar music, steady sound or headphones — depending on what suits you.
Temperature Comfortable warmth, cool air or another safe temperature adjustment.
Repetition Familiar sensory patterns may require less processing than novelty.
Sensory Support → Sensory Regulation Toolkit — Coming soon
6 STRESS & NERVOUS SYSTEM Support a system that is on high alert

Stress can show up through the body as well as through thoughts. You may notice tension, agitation, racing thoughts, shakiness, restlessness, a pounding heart, feeling frozen or difficulty processing information.

Reduce stimulation Give the nervous system less to process for a while.
Use rhythm or repetition Familiar movement, sound or repetitive activity may help.
Orient to the present Notice where you are and what is happening around you now.
Allow time A stress response may take time to settle even after the trigger has stopped.
The goal is not to prove to yourself that you “shouldn’t” feel stressed. Start by asking what may help your system feel more supported and less overloaded.
Nervous System Regulation — Coming soon
7 STRONG EMOTIONS Get through the peak before solving everything

When emotion is intense, the first job may be making the moment manageable rather than solving the entire problem.

Pause Delay non-urgent decisions, messages or difficult conversations.
Name it Fear? Anger? Grief? Shame? Frustration? Overwhelm?
Distress tolerance Focus on getting through the difficult period without making the situation harder.
Check again later When processing improves, work out what needs attention next.
How do I feel right now? →
8 DBT-INFORMED TOOLS Use skills — but adapt them to the person

DBT includes useful tools for distress tolerance, emotion regulation, mindfulness and interpersonal situations. The skill may work better when it is adapted for neurodivergence, sensory differences, executive-function difficulties and limited physical capacity.

Distress tolerance Use short-term strategies to help get through a difficult period safely.
Emotion regulation Notice emotions, vulnerability factors and what may help.
Mindfulness — adapted Attention can be external, brief, movement-based or sensory — it does not have to mean sitting still.
Interpersonal tools Clear communication, boundaries and asking for support can reduce future regulation load.
Neurodivergent adaptation: Before asking “Which coping skill should I use?” also ask: Is there too much sensory input? Too much demand? Too many words? Too many decisions? A physical need? Too little recovery? Or not enough support? Sometimes changing those things is part of the regulation strategy.
DBT Tools → DBT & Neurodivergence →
9 CO-REGULATION Let another person help carry some of the load

Regulation does not always have to happen alone. A calm, predictable and supportive person can sometimes make regulation easier.

Presence Stay nearby without requiring conversation.
Fewer words Short, clear communication may reduce processing demand.
Reassurance Simple, believable reassurance may reduce uncertainty.
Practical help Taking over one task may reduce load more effectively than talking.
Co-regulation is not forcing someone to calm down. It can mean helping make the situation safer, simpler, more predictable or easier to manage.
Co-Regulation — Coming soon
MATCH THE RESPONSE TO THE PROBLEM

Not everything that looks like dysregulation needs another regulation exercise.

Sometimes the nervous system needs a tool. Sometimes it is signalling that something else needs to change.

Too much sensory input? Reduce the input as well as using sensory regulation.
Too much demand? Reduce, pause, postpone or change the demand.
High stress or activation? Grounding, orienting, movement, breathing if helpful, or connection may help.
Low capacity? Rest and pacing may matter more than adding another coping task.
Physical symptoms? Support regulation, but do not overlook symptom management or appropriate treatment.
Not enough support? Practical help may be more useful than another self-management strategy.
AFTER REGULATING

Recover before immediately adding more.

Feeling a little better does not necessarily mean your capacity has completely returned.

Give the system some space, then check again: How do I feel? What is happening in my body? What capacity do I actually have now?

How do I feel right now? → What is happening in my body? →
EXPLORE MORE

Find more support

Choose the area that seems most useful. You do not need to explore everything.

Sensory Support Reduce sensory load and find supports that fit your sensory needs. Explore → DBT Tools Practical skills for distress, emotions and difficult moments. Explore → DBT & Neurodivergence Adapt DBT tools for sensory, cognitive and neurodevelopmental differences. Explore → Environment Make spaces easier for the body, brain and senses to manage. Explore → Respond Work out what kind of response may fit what is happening. Explore → Make Possible Change conditions, expectations or support to make participation easier. Explore → Understanding Symptoms Look at symptoms in the context of an overlapping multi-system picture. Explore → Professional Care Explore assessment, treatment and professional support. Explore → Things I Can Use Find practical tools, resources and everyday supports. Browse →
Grounding & Orienting — Coming soon Nervous System Regulation — Coming soon Co-Regulation — Coming soon Pacing & Pausing — Coming soon My Regulation Plan — Coming soon
Important: ALPIMS provides general educational information and practical support ideas. Regulation strategies can be useful, but symptoms such as pain, dizziness, fatigue, cognitive changes, panic, sensory changes and physical distress can have many possible causes. Regulation strategies should not replace appropriate medical, psychological or allied-health assessment, advice or treatment.