Complex symptoms & the autonomic nervous system

The nervous system out of balance: When several symptoms come together

Tino Both · 13 Jun 2026 · 8 min read

Briefly explained: 'The nervous system out of balance' describes symptoms such as restlessness, exhaustion, dizziness or increased sensitivity to stimuli — rather than a clear cause. Several symptoms can influence each other. It helps to organise their patterns and assess specifically which everyday demands cause difficulty.

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Many small problems rather than one big one — every day

You are exhausted in the morning. At work, your neck tightens; on the way home, light and movement bother you. In the evening, you want to switch off but still feel switched on inside. You have already received a tip for every individual issue. Together, however, these have not yet produced a usable plan.

The question 'Could this be connected?' is understandable. Yes, connections are possible. But that does not mean every symptom has the same trigger or that stress is automatically the explanation. With several symptoms in particular, a closer look at sequence and context is worthwhile.

What the term explains — and what remains open

The nervous system connects perception, movement and regulation of internal processes. Responding to a stimulus is initially normal. What becomes decisive is whether the response fits the situation, how much energy it takes and how well you recover afterwards. Being permanently calm would not be a useful goal: Sport requires activation, sleep requires other conditions.

Dysautonomia, by contrast, is a medical term for disorders of autonomic functions. It cannot be inferred from a list of general symptoms alone. NINDS explains autonomic dysfunction through involuntary regulation of heartbeat and blood pressure, among other examples. 'I feel overstimulated' and an established autonomic illness are different things.

Not every demand is only psychological stressSleep, illnesses, medication, pain, visual tasks, movement and emotional strain may be important in assessment. A functional perspective should not prematurely reduce these possibilities to 'too much sympathetic activity'.

Three questions bring more order than a long symptom list

What comes first?Does unsteadiness begin only after prolonged screen work? Do palpitations occur on standing up or in a tense conversation? The sequence in time helps distinguish different questions.

Under which conditions does it change?You do not have to deliberately trigger symptoms. Differences occurring anyway are interesting: Sitting versus walking, quiet surroundings versus crowds or a day off versus a full working day.

What specifically would you like to do again?'Regulate the nervous system' is difficult to check. 'Manage a short shopping trip without constantly holding on' or 'Work at the screen without immediately tensing the neck' makes your goal tangible.

Existing findings also belong in this picture. An unremarkable finding can be important reassurance but does not automatically answer every question about tolerance. Conversely, an abnormal finding must not be dismissed through a functional explanation. Both can remain relevant to planning in parallel.

Input, processing and output — explained through daily life

Imagine a shopping trip. You move your head and body, read signs, avoid other people and hear announcements. The next action continually emerges from this information. How tired you are, whether something hurts or how tense you feel also matters.

In my work, I therefore consider more than the final result, 'Shopping was too much'. We seek a smaller demand that can be assessed tolerably. Does looking around while sitting already become demanding? Only the combination of gaze shifts and walking? Or are circulatory symptoms on becoming upright more central and in need of targeted medical investigation first? This distinction changes the next step.

A possible example: The neck tightens when looking aroundWe agree on a gaze and head movement possible with little pain while sitting as the starting task. Visual target, movement range and speed remain comparable. We then assess a small, specifically selected change, such as a more easily recognisable visual reference point. The original task is subsequently repeated. A helpful difference guides further selection; it does not automatically explain every other symptom.

How I assess a specific connection systematically

In my work with Applied Neurofunction, I can supplement these functional comparisons with targeted contact and stimulus assessment if needed. First, I choose a suitable indicator muscle that can be assessed reliably and without pain. A specific connection is then assessed — for example, a visual task in relation to the unusual movement. All conceivable systems are not stimulated indiscriminately at once.

If the applied stimulus changes the stable response into non-physiological weakening, this serves within the method as an indication for further differentiation. I seek an addition under which the muscle response becomes stable again despite the stimulus. The stimulus alone and stimulus with a solution are repeatedly compared. After integration, assessment checks whether the response to the original stimulus remains stable without the addition.

We then return to your everyday task. A stable muscle response is different from an easier shopping trip. We therefore consider both: The method's response and practical change. A sustainable plan also depends on how you respond later in the day and in the next comparable situation.

Why relaxation alone sometimes does not help you progress

A quiet break can help. But it does not change every difficulty in gaze shifts, movement or activity management. Conversely, not every instance of tension calls for additional eye or balance exercises. Sometimes less demand, reliable recovery or another assessment is needed first.

Breathing work is also not a universal switch. A systematic review of slow breathing describes effects on certain cardiovascular measurements; this does not create a uniform solution for complex symptoms. I would therefore assess a small, comfortable breathing variation against a suitable starting function, rather than forcing maximum depth or prolonged breath-holding.

What you can usefully prepare yourself

Brief notes for a few days are enough: One difficult situation, its duration and the time until recovery. Add particular changes such as worse sleep, a new medicine or an infection. This should provide an overview rather than monitor every sensation. Please do not change medication on your own because of a suspected nervous system connection.

With marked deterioration after exertion that appears after a delay and persists, 'train more' is not a suitable standard answer. Discuss this pattern medically. Tolerability and suitable dosage matter more for functional work than fitting as many tasks as possible into an appointment.

When symptoms should be assessed medically

New, persistent or increasing symptoms, fainting or pronounced problems on standing up need assessment. Acute chest pain, severe breathlessness or sudden speech disturbances and one-sided weakness are emergency signs: 112. These situations are not first checked with exercises.

Frequently asked questions about the nervous system out of balance

Is an overstimulated nervous system always the cause?No. The expression describes an experience but does not establish the cause. History, accompanying symptoms and specific demanding situations help with interpretation.

Can dizziness, tension and exhaustion be connected?Yes, they can influence each other or occur under similar conditions. Whether a shared factor matters is considered individually; several causes remain possible.

Why do breathing exercises not calm me?The task or dose may be unsuitable, and not every symptom is primarily a breathing question. Dizziness, breathlessness or increasing tension are not signals to force the exercise.

What should I bring to the initial consultation?A brief description of your main everyday difficulty and previous assessment is enough. You need neither a perfect explanation nor your own list of suspected deficits.

A useful beginning can be small

Let us begin with the situation that really restricts you.In Vilshofen, I support people who want to understand functional connections more precisely and find an understandable next step. During the initial consultation, we consider whether your concern suits my approach.

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The initial telephone consultation is free of charge.