How a Stressed Nervous System Wrecks Your Pelvic Floor
Let’s be honest…
You can do all the “pelvic floor exercises” in the world, but if your nervous system is fried, your pelvic floor is never going to fully heal. Period.
Your pelvic floor is your stress sponge.
That constant clench in your jaw? Your pelvic floor does the same thing.
The shallow breathing when you’re anxious? Your pelvic floor feels it.
That tension in your hips or back when you’re overworked? Yep, your pelvic floor is in on it, too.
And this is why so many women try the exercises, the YouTube tutorials, even the “just do Kegels” advice and nothing changes.
It’s not because you’re broken.
It’s because your nervous system is running the show.
The Nervous System–Pelvic Floor Link
Your body has two main gears: fight-or-flight (stress mode) and rest-and-digest (healing mode).
When you’re constantly stressed with kids, work, no sleep, hormones, or trauma, your nervous system gets stuck in overdrive.
That stress has a direct line to your pelvic floor:
Muscles stay clenched 24/7, leaving you “tight but weak.”
Your bladder gets overactive (urgency, leaks).
Your bowels slow down (hello, constipation).
Pain signals get louder (sex, hips, back, even jaw pain).
So no matter how many “squeeze and release” exercises you try, your body can’t let go enough to rebuild strength.
This isn’t just about muscles. It’s about your entire system.
So… What Do You Do About It?
Here’s the part that makes women sigh with relief because, no, you don't have to add more to your never-ending to-do list, and you don’t have to “hustle harder” to heal.
You actually need to unclench. To teach your body how to feel safe again.
1. Breathe Like You Mean It
Forget shallow chest breathing. Your pelvic floor is designed to move with your diaphragm.
When you inhale fully (360 breathing), your pelvic floor lengthens.
When you exhale, it recoils. That rhythm is your nervous system’s reset button.
Here’s a super quick video on how to do diaphragmatic (360) breathing properly: WATCH HOW HERE
2. Give Your Body Daily Stress “Exits”
Stress is part of being human. Life throws hard days at us, and not all stress is bad. (Your nervous system can’t tell the difference between a disagreement with your partner and getting chased by a bear. To your body, it’s all the same “danger.”)
The trick isn’t eliminating stress… It’s making sure it doesn’t stay stuck in your body.
Because when it does? Your pelvic floor pays the price.
Quick “release valves” you can use today:
Take a 10-minute walk
Stretch your hips before bed
Pray or journal out your thoughts
Dance it out in your kitchen like nobody’s watching
These tiny shifts signal safety to your nervous system—and release your pelvic floor from living in a constant brace.
TRY THIS: Join the free 7-Day Unclenched + Unbothered Challenge inside the Pelvic Wellness Academy on Skool. Seven days. Simple, doable nervous system resets. Real relief for your body.
3. Rest Like It’s Your Job
Your pelvic floor heals when you sleep.
Deep sleep = hormone balance + muscle recovery + nervous system reset. Without it, your body stays clenched, inflamed, and exhausted.
Watch this conversation with the amazing Dr. Ali where we go deep on burnout, recovery, and the hard truth about why “rest” isn’t just lying on the couch…it’s intentional.
4. Stop Carrying Stress in Silence
Your pelvic floor literally holds tension. Trauma, busyness, shame…all of it shows up there.
You don’t have to white-knuckle your way through it anymore. The women who heal are the ones who stop pretending “I’m fine” and start getting support.
Here’s the Truth…
You can heal.
But it is never a one-dimensional fix. It is not “just do this one exercise” or “just take this supplement.”
Real healing happens when you look at the whole picture. Your nervous system, hormones, pelvic floor, strength, and nutrition all working together.
That is exactly what we do inside our 3-step approach at Three Sixty Wellness.
So what is your next step to finally getting off the hamster wheel?
👉 Book a free call with our team. Let’s build you a personalized plan for your entire body, not just one muscle. Because you deserve more than band aid fixes.
You deserve real, lasting healing that fits your actual life.
