Nervous System
Nervous System Check: Settled, Revved Up or Shut Down?
Ten everyday moments show which state your body tends to land in under pressure, with one practical way to shift it.
About this self-check
Under ordinary pressure, most people tend to land in one of three states: settled, revved up or shut down. Revved up looks like racing thoughts and trouble stopping. Shut down looks like fog, heaviness and numbness. Both can feel like a personal failing when they are really the body responding to too much for too long.
How it works
Ten everyday moments, from a vague message from your manager to a free weekend, each with three responses. The result is the share of moments where you chose each state, and ties are shown rather than broken. These states are often explained with Stephen Porges's polyvagal theory. Many physiologists dispute its biology, so this check describes the states in plain terms and does not claim to measure your nervous system.
What you'll get
You see where you land most often, the moments that pulled you out of settled, and one practical way to shift. If anxiety, numbness or poor sleep has lasted for weeks, the result points you to a doctor.
Common questions
Is this based on polyvagal theory?
The three states are commonly described with polyvagal theory, developed by Stephen Porges. Its core biological claims are disputed by many physiologists, so this check uses plain descriptions of the states rather than relying on the theory.
Can this test measure my nervous system?
No. It asks how you tend to react in everyday moments. Measuring nervous system activity takes physiological recordings such as heart rate variability, and even then the results are hard to interpret for one person.
What if my scores are tied?
Then the result shows both states rather than picking one, because your answers do not favour either.
Is this a diagnosis?
No. It is a reflection exercise. If anxiety, numbness or poor sleep last for weeks, talk to a doctor.