WELLBEING: CREATING A TOOLKIT FOR YOUR WELLBEING – MOVING TOWARDS YOUR GREEN ZONE.

In the previous blog, we explored the five colour-coded zones that reflect different states of emotional arousal and regulation. You may have begun to notice how your own nervous system shifts between them, and what each state feels like in your body and mind. Understanding your current zone is a powerful first step. The next step is knowing what to do once you’ve identified where you are. 

This blog will offer practical strategies and tools that align with each zone. These are not one-size-fits-all solutions, but a menu of options you can experiment with depending on how you feel and what’s happening in your life. The aim is to support your nervous system in moving toward greater regulation, which means trying to spend more time in the green zone. The green zone is that place where you feel a greater sense of calm, clarity and balance. That said, it is important to acknowledge that all the zones are part of being human. Stress is not inherently bad, but chronic high levels of stress can take a toll on your physical and mental wellbeing. The tools in this blog are designed to help you respond to your needs in the moment and care for yourself in a sustainable, compassionate way.  

🔴 Red Zone – Burnout happens here. 

Overwhelmed, panicked, explosive, not coping, feeling awful.  

In this state, your sympathetic nervous system is over-activated. When it is over-activated, you lose touch with how your body feels, and this affects your level of self-awareness. The goal is to interrupt the intensity of the stress response so that you can address whatever is going on in front of you with improved clarity. 

Tools to Reset: 

Grounding through the senses 

• Touch something cold (e.g. ice, cool water, smooth stone). 
• Name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste (5-4-3-2-1 method). 

Vocal vagus stimulation 

• Humming, chanting, or singing in a low tone (e.g. “om”, or a familiar lullaby). These stimulate the vagus nerve via vocal cords and exhalation. The vagus nerve plays an important role in shifting your nervous system from a highly activated state to a calmer state. 

Safe, strong movement 

• Push against a wall, stomp your feet, do star jumps.  
• Try a short “shake it out” session for arms/legs.
  • A highly activated nervous system is fuelled by adrenaline and cortisol.
    Strong movements can help discharge these hormones, which are part of your fight/flight/freeze response. 

Deep, paced exhalation 

• Try box breathing: inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4. 
• Or sigh audibly and slowly, several times .
  • slow deep breath work, also activates your vagus nerve. 

Co-regulation 

• Reach out to someone calm and safe. Even texting someone who “gets you” can reduce the sense of isolation and danger.
  • It can be very hard to reach out to someone when your nervous system is
    highly activated. Having someone who feels safe, like a trusted friend or GP, can be enough to give you the support you need moving forward.  

🟠 Orange Zone  

Agitated, anxious, hypervigilant, wired.  Often a “Just hanging in there” space. 

In the orange zone, your sympathetic arousal is still high, but you may appear more functional than in red. You still feel like you are ‘on edge’ but you may have enough relief in the level of stress that you can still function reasonably well.  

Tools to Soothe: 

Rhythmic movement 

• Walking, bouncing on a yoga ball, rocking in a chair — any patterned, gentle movement soothes the nervous system. 

Progressive muscle relaxation 

• Tense and release muscle groups from head to toe, slowly and with awareness. 

Weighted sensation 

• Use a weighted blanket or press your palms together with pressure to give the body a sense of containment and safety. 

Monotask with focus 

• Do one simple task slowly and mindfully (e.g. fold laundry, water plants, organise a drawer). Let yourself drop into the rhythm. 

Self-talk + soothing touch 

• Place your hand over your heart or on your cheek. Try saying gently: “I’m okay right now. I can take my time.”
  • Safety cues, which are both physical and verbal, signal to the vagus nerve that you are not under immediate threat. 

🔵 Blue Zone – “Worn Out” 

Flat, exhausted, teary, disengaged. Often follows extended Red/Orange activation. 

Blue is a zone that follows a long period in orange and sometimes in red. When this happens, you may slip past green straight into blue or grey because your nervous system needs a good rest. The goal in this zone, and also when you are in the grey zone, isn’t to force yourself into action, but to invite gentle re-engagement with life, especially through connection or via sensory input. 

Tools to Reconnect: 

Gentle sensory stimulation 

• Light a scented candle, hold a warm drink, and feel a textured object. Let your body receive pleasant, simple sensations. 

Low-demand connection 

• Sit beside someone (or pet), not necessarily talking. Pets are great because you have the added sensory connection that comes from having their weight on your lap and the feeling of petting their fur. 
• Connection without performance is soothing in this zone. 

Small acts of agency that honour your energy level. 

• Choose a small task that considers the rest, that your body needs at this moment. For example, If you usually run, allow yourself to walk and be ok with this. You will be able to run again when your body has had time to recover. 

Sunlight + nature 

• Sit in the sun, even for a few minutes. Look at something natural — trees, clouds, animals. These are non-threatening stimuli that can assist with regulation.

Soothing audio 

• Listen to familiar, slow, comforting music or a calming podcast — voices and rhythm can slowly awaken a sense of connection. 

⚫ Grey Zone – “Shutdown” 

Numb, hopeless, heavy, disconnected from self/others. 

This is a state, which is a response to long-term unresolved high levels of stress. The system has shut down to protect you. The aim here is to honour the body’s need for stillness and rest while gently inviting safety and life back in, over time. 

Tools to consider: 

Micro-choices 

• Choose one small, low-pressure action that affirms life: brushing teeth, opening a window, listening to one song. No pressure to feel better. 

Warmth and comfort 

• Wrap yourself in a soft blanket, soak in a warm bath, and wear cosy clothes. These signal physical safety. 

Visual stimulation 

• Look at photos of people or places you love, art you find beautiful, or calming imagery — let the world back in through your eyes. 

Body presence (without demand) 

• Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Feel your body breathing. You don’t need to change anything — just notice. 

Professional or peer support 

• This zone benefits from help. Having someone who can evaluate and support you is essential in this zone. More than one professional may be needed. 

 Final thought. 

Understanding your stress zones is a way to both understand and care for your emotional wellbeing more consciously. When you can identify how you’re feeling,  whether that is alert, agitated, flat, or exhausted, you create space to respond rather than react. This awareness opens the door to choice: the choice to pause, to reset, or to take a small step in the direction of calm. The tools offered here can help you move toward greater regulation and reduce the impact of chronic stress. The goal is not to avoid all stress, but to support your nervous system to return to balance so that the effects of harm to your physical and mental health is reduced. 

In the next blog, I will focus on the green zone. This is where connection, growth, 

and learning happens. It is where your system can rest and recover, and where you can begin to stretch your capacity gently. For now, simply notice where you are, be kind to yourself, and explore what helps you move back toward green. 

Katrina Gow

Katrina is a compassionate and skilled counsellor dedicated to fostering mental health and resilience. In 2025, she will contribute her expertise as an advisor to a Deakin University project addressing school attendance issues, helping develop strategies for improving educational outcomes. Additionally, Katrina is part of the Victorian Parents Council team and writes insightful blogs for the VPC, offering support and guidance to parents navigating challenges in education and parenting. Through her work, she strives to create positive change in both individual lives and broader community settings.