When the body heals but the brain doesn’t

Have you ever wondered what trauma looks like on a biological level?

Let’s discuss what’s happening to your brain and nervous system…

Old Injuries And Trauma Reshape Your Stress System

When you experience physical pain or trauma, your nervous system adapts to keep you alive.

It becomes more sensitive, more alert, more reactive.

That’s useful in the moment.

The problem is that sometimes it never fully turns off.

This puts you in permanent sympathic dominance…

Also known as fight or flight.

This is when your stress hormones stay high and your body misinterprets harmless cues like real danger.

Everyday situations (loud noises, surprises, conflict) can trigger anxiety, tension, or pain.

This is why so many people continue to feel “stuck in survival mode” long after they’ve recovered physically.

The nervous system has memorized the threat.

Trauma Changes How the Brain Sorts Safety From Danger

Recent brain imaging studies show that trauma survivors who struggle the most aren’t necessarily weaker—they just have stress circuits that stay hyperactive.

The part of the brain that detects threats (the salience network) stays online.

The part that evaluates and calms those threats (the executive control network) can’t take over.

That means the body reacts before the mind has time to decide whether something is actually safe.

People who recover better use these networks more efficiently.

They don’t shut off their fear—they just learn to separate real danger from false alarms.

How to Reset the Stress Circuit

Here’s what helps:

1. Lower the fuel for chronic stress.

Cortisol is like an engine that never cools.

Poor sleep, late-night screens, under-eating, and constant stimulation all keep it running.

Start by improving sleep hygiene—cut light at night, get natural sunlight in the morning, and make sure you’re eating enough healthy carbohydrates.

2. Retrain your brain through safe exposures.

If your system overreacts to certain triggers, gradually reintroduce them in safe, controlled ways.

Each time your brain learns that nothing bad happens, those fear circuits weaken.

3. Feed your mitochondria.

Stress is energy-intensive.

When your cells run low on ATP, your brain interprets it as danger.

Fuel your body with enough carbohydrates and whole-food sources of creatine from red meat to keep stress pathways balanced.

4. Use light and rhythm to reset.

Morning sunlight and gentle outdoor movement regulate circadian hormones and signal safety to the nervous system.

Your brain begins to expect calm at predictable times of day, which reduces hypervigilance.

Until next time,

Kashif Khan

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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Information on this site is provided for informational purposes only. It is not meant to substitute for medical advice from your physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease or prescribing any medication. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your regular healthcare provider.