Nervous System Hijacked? Try Pratyahara! Ayurveda for the Overstimulated Mind

Hey y’all! I know it’s been several months since I last wrote.

This year has been… a lot—between traveling, a hectic work schedule, and planning a wedding (!!!), I kept telling myself I didn’t have time to write. But recently, I’ve been asking myself the real reason I stepped away from this blog. And the truth is: it wasn’t about time. It wasn’t even about inspiration.

I love writing. I love this blog. I find so much self-fulfillment in pouring my thoughts into the void about all things health and wellness. So why did the task suddenly feel so daunting?

It wasn’t until a conversation with a friend of a friend that something clicked. She casually asked how the blog was going and what direction I hoped to take it in. And my answer…“I have no clue” lingered with me.

The more I reflected, the more I realized I hadn’t been dissociating from life but in fact, I’ve been present in many beautiful ways. With friends and family. Through travel. Even in picking up new skills at work. But quietly, I had slipped into a mind-dulling routine. Into a version of me that was operating, functioning… but not exploring. Somewhere along the way, I lost touch with the part of me that feels most alive. 

Then I stumbled across a concept in Ayurveda that made something in me exhale: Pratyahara 

Pratyahara is the fifth limb of yoga in the Eight Limbs of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. It translates to “withdrawal of the senses”—with prati meaning “against” or “away,” and ahara meaning “food” or “input.” In essence, it’s the conscious choice to turn inward, to pull back from external stimulation, and to protect your inner world.

 “Pratyahara is the art of not letting the world hijack your nervous system”

In today's world, overstimulation isn’t just common—it’s constant. We’re surrounded by a bombardment of ‘noise pollution’, notifications, ads, and visually addicting algorithmic feeds. Our senses are on overdrive. In Ayurveda, this kind of sensory bombardment deeply impacts vata dosha—the energetic force that governs movement, communication, and the nervous system.

We talk about the doshas all the time on this blog so you may already know that when vata becomes aggravated, we feel scattered, anxious, and restless. Over time, our ojas which is our vital life essence begins to drain. This causes our inner glow or natural resilience to fade. We struggle to focus, to rest, and eventually, to even feel ourselves.

Pratyahara is the antidote. It doesn’t ask us to escape or reject the modern world. It simply invites us to create space. It’s not about isolation or deprivation. It’s not the same as meditation, but rather a powerful precursor to it. It’s not anti-technology either. Rather, it’s about having a conscious, healthy relationship with stimulation. Pratyahara teaches us to create intentional gaps between ourselves and the outside world, so we can return to our own rhythm. It’s how we begin to hear our thoughts again.

There are many ways to practice Pratyahara in our daily lives. 

1. One gentle method is to try tech fasts—unplugging for atleast 30 minutes a day with no phone, music, or scrolling. Even a screen-free morning with warm tea and silence can help reset the mind. 

2. Another powerful tool is incorporating oil rituals into your routine. Applying warm sesame oil to the ears or the feet before bed can help calm the nervous system and ground excess vata. 

3. Similarly, scent withdrawal—using grounding aromas like sandalwood, vetiver, or rose—can anchor the mind. Try sitting in silence while letting the scent hold your awareness, instead of surrounding noise or distraction.

4.  Lastly, creating silent evenings—even just an hour without talking, stimulation, or bright lights—can create space for stillness. Sip tea, journal, or simply rest in the quiet.

   
   

From an Ayurvedic perspective, Pratyahara works because it brings vata dosha back into balance. It helps protect and rebuild ojas, your inner essence and immunity, and it nourishes sattva, the quality of peace, clarity, and quiet joy.

Returning to this blog—and returning to myself—feels like practicing Pratyahara in real time. I had to pull back from the noise, even the noise of “productivity,” in order to hear my own voice again. If you’ve been feeling overstimulated, uninspired, or disconnected from yourself… you’re not broken. You might just need a pause, a small moment of silence, and a step toward your intuition.

Love Always, 

Jacqui