Designing a Nervous System Friendly Home
YOUR HOME SHOULD REGULATE YOU, NOT DYSREGULATE YOU
The spaces we live in shape the way we feel.
Lighting, layout, texture and sound all speak to your nervous system — whether consciously or not.
A nervous system friendly home isn’t about perfection or minimalism. It’s about creating an environment that offers cues of safety, simplicity and softness. The goal isn’t just aesthetic — it’s physiological. When your space supports your system, it becomes a sanctuary for rest, creativity and repair.
This guide explores how to design your home to support each nervous system state — and how to make gentle shifts that regulate you from the inside out.
In Regulation (Ventral) — Design To Sustain Flow and Coherence
In Regulation, your environment can help you deepen presence and stay connected to your rhythm. Choose design elements that reflect your values and support your daily rituals.
- Core experience: Clarity, openness, groundedness
- Design focus: Flow, light, intentional beauty
- Examples: Natural materials, cozy reading nooks, meaningful artwork
- Supportive practice: Designate one area in your home for presence — a tea corner, a ritual shelf, a creative zone. Keep it clear and intentional.
In Activation (Sympathetic) — Design To Soften and Slow
In Activation, you want to interrupt urgency with calm. Your space should invite you to exhale — to downshift, pause and feel contained.
- Core experience: Tension, stimulation, speed
- Design focus: Warm lighting, muted tones, visual simplicity
- Examples: Soft textiles, rounded shapes, designated unwind zones
- Supportive practice: Replace overhead lights with table or floor lamps. Let the shift in lighting signal a shift in state.
In Depletion (Dorsal) — Design To Gently Invite Reconnection
In Depletion, your space should help you reawaken — slowly and with care. Avoid stark minimalism. Focus on warmth, subtle stimulation and emotional comfort.
- Core experience: Low energy, numbness, disconnection
- Design focus: Warmth, texture, emotional resonance
- Examples: Weighted blankets, photos of loved ones, soft music
- Supportive practice: Create a “reentry” station — one space with cozy cues that invites you back into your body when you feel withdrawn.
In Overload (Freeze) — Design To Contain and Stabilize
In Overload, your system is overwhelmed. Your space should offer simplicity and structure — with minimal sensory input and clear zones.
- Core experience: Overwhelm, emotional flooding, confusion
- Design focus: Clean surfaces, designated areas, reduced noise
- Examples: Noise-cancelling curtains, clutter-free counters, gentle scent anchors
- Supportive practice: Keep one small area — a drawer, a bedside table, a shelf — visually minimal. Return to it when your world feels too full.
YOUR HOME CAN HOLD YOU, IF YOU LET IT
Design isn’t just visual — it’s visceral. It communicates with your nervous system before you even notice it. With small, intentional shifts, your home can become a space that supports not just how you live, but how you feel.
WHERE TO START
Use The statechanged Method Workbook to map how your environment affects your states.
Take the Free Nervous System Assessment Quiz to see what your space might be amplifying.
Explore our Digital Downloads for sensory design guides, mood boards and elemental home rituals.