Wired, Tired or Foggy? What is your nervous system telling you?
Understanding the Nervous System Beyond "Fight or Flight": Exploring Ergotropic and Trophotropic Types to better connect with your body
You might have heard that you are either in “fight or flight” (sympathetic nervous system - SNS) or “rest and digest” (parasympathetic nervous system - PNS) modes. While it’s a useful starting point it’s a rather simplistic, a bit like calling an orchestra just “loud or quiet.”
Instead, it’s more accurate to consider ergotropic and trophotropic states. It’s a more nuanced, whole-person framework that can help explain why some of us rev high like a Ferrari in traffic, while others idle too low and struggle to get going. These terms describe the body’s tendency towards energy output (ergotropic) or conservation and repair (trophotropic). Rather than binary, we all sit somewhere on a spectrum, and learning your dominant state can be a game-changer for managing symptoms and choosing treatments that actually work.
Ergotropic Types: Wired but Tired
If you lean ergotropic, you likely feel like you’re always ‘on’. You might wake early, grind your teeth, overtrain, or experience palpitations, insomnia, and anxiety. These types are often prone to conditions like hypertension, IBS, panic disorders, or autoimmune flares. The nervous system here is like a racehorse: powerful but easily spooked.
Three self-help techniques for ergotropic types:
Box breathing (4-4-4-4) to reduce sympathetic tone.
Yin or restorative yoga to physically cue rest.
Digital sunset—no screens after 8pm to lower cortisol levels naturally.
Trophotropic Types: Sluggish but Sensitive
Trophotropic types gravitate toward low energy and internal focus. Think cold hands, fatigue, low mood, poor digestion, or even fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism, and chronic fatigue syndrome. This system is more tortoise than hare, needing gentle support to engage with life.
Three self-help techniques for trophotropic types:
Contrast showers alternating warm and cool to gently stimulate circulation and alertness.
Morning walks in sunlight to enhance dopamine and reset circadian rhythm.
Qi Gong or resistance work to nudge energy without overwhelming the system.
By understanding where you sit on the ergotropic-trophotropic spectrum, you can begin to decode your patterns. Why certain symptoms flare, why you react to stress in particular ways, and how to best support your unique nervous system. Our Osteopathic treatments can then be more than just mechanical, they become tailored, holistic interventions in tune with your body’s natural rhythm.
I have created a fact sheet with more details and included 5 more self-help techniques to help you begin to regulate your nervous system. Visit the website to download the sheet.
Need personalised support?
We’re here to help. Book an appointment today online or over the phone at the Stockbridge Osteopathic Practice and we can work together to support your nervous system.
Emma Wightman
www.the-sop.com