Polyvagal Theory: Why You Feel So Anxious All The Time - Dr Stephen Porges

Dr Stephen Porges is a neuroscientist & psychologist. Why does your nervous system always feel on edge? When everything feels like a threat, your body may be stuck in survival mode. So what keeps your nervous system on high alert, and how can you finally teach it to feel safe again? Expect to learn why your nervous system is in a state of fight or flight all of the time, what the Polyvagal Theory is and how to attain a calmer state of mind, why dogs calm humans so effectively, what the biggest myth about anxiety is and the role of metabolic support for the nervous system, how the gut, inflammation and chronic stress play in nervous system regulation and much more… - Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom Get a free bottle of D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, and more when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom Get up to $50 off the RP Hypertrophy App at https://rpstrength.com/modernwisdom Get 160+ lab tests for just $365 and save an extra $25 at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at https://chatgpt.com⁠ - 0:00 What is Polyvagal Theory? 5:54 Why It’s So Important to Focus On How We Feel 12:04 How the Nervous System Adapted Over Time 18:08 Is Safety Our #1 Goal? 19:59 What Feeling “Safe” Really Means 21:28 The Most Powerful Signals of Safety 23:31 Can You Ever Truly Feel Safe? 25:21 Why Safety Feels Different for Everyone 30:05 What Stephen’s Work Means to Chris 39:20 What Causes Nervous System Dysregulation? 44:00 Are Humans on the Same Frequency As Animals? 50:49 Don’t Hack Your Nervous System, Challenge It 54:05 Does Resonance Breathing Actually Work? 57:15 How Does the Safe and Sound Protocol Work? 59:43 What Your Body Language Reveals About You 01:04:11 The Biggest Myth About Anxiety 01:05:06 What Unlocks Your Full Capacity? 01:10:28 Low vs High Tolerance: Understanding Your Nervous System 01:12:31 How to Build a Sense of Safety 01:16:59 How Important is Metabolic Support? 01:19:49 What Causes Shifts Between Shutdown and Overdrive? 01:23:07 Why Tinnitus Can Signal Nervous System Issues 01:27:21 The Link Between the Vagus Nerve and the Gut 01:29:47 Are Male and Female Nervous Systems Different? 01:34:44 Why We Need More Humility and Compassion 01:41:13 Do Stellate Ganglion Blocks Actually Work? 01:44:50 The Strongest Criticisms of Polyvagal Theory 01:49:54 Can Your Nervous System Be “Too Safe”? - Get access to every episode 10 hours before YouTube by subscribing for free on Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn or Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Get my free Reading List of 100 life-changing books here - https://chriswillx.com/books/ Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic here - https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

Chris WilliamsonhostDr. Stephen Porgesguest

Jul 25, 20261h 53mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: July 25, 2026
Duration: 1h 53m
Channel: Modern Wisdom
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Dr Stephen Porges is a neuroscientist & psychologist. Why does your nervous system always feel on edge? When everything feels like a threat, your body may be stuck in survival mode. So what keeps your nervous system on high alert, and how can you finally teach it to feel safe again? Expect to learn why your nervous system is in a state of fight or flight all of the time, what the Polyvagal Theory is and how to attain a calmer state of mind, why dogs calm humans so effectively, what the biggest myth about anxiety is and the role of metabolic support for the nervous system, how the gut, inflammation and chronic stress play in nervous system regulation and much more… - Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom Get a free bottle of D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, and more when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom Get up to $50 off the RP Hypertrophy App at https://rpstrength.com/modernwisdom Get 160+ lab tests for just $365 and save an extra $25 at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at https://chatgpt.com⁠ - 0:00 What is Polyvagal Theory? 5:54 Why It’s So Important to Focus On How We Feel 12:04 How the Nervous System Adapted Over Time 18:08 Is Safety Our #1 Goal? 19:59 What Feeling “Safe” Really Means 21:28 The Most Powerful Signals of Safety 23:31 Can You Ever Truly Feel Safe? 25:21 Why Safety Feels Different for Everyone 30:05 What Stephen’s Work Means to Chris 39:20 What Causes Nervous System Dysregulation? 44:00 Are Humans on the Same Frequency As Animals? 50:49 Don’t Hack Your Nervous System, Challenge It 54:05 Does Resonance Breathing Actually Work? 57:15 How Does the Safe and Sound Protocol Work? 59:43 What Your Body Language Reveals About You 01:04:11 The Biggest Myth About Anxiety 01:05:06 What Unlocks Your Full Capacity? 01:10:28 Low vs High Tolerance: Understanding Your Nervous System 01:12:31 How to Build a Sense of Safety 01:16:59 How Important is Metabolic Support? 01:19:49 What Causes Shifts Between Shutdown and Overdrive? 01:23:07 Why Tinnitus Can Signal Nervous System Issues 01:27:21 The Link Between the Vagus Nerve and the Gut 01:29:47 Are Male and Female Nervous Systems Different? 01:34:44 Why We Need More Humility and Compassion 01:41:13 Do Stellate Ganglion Blocks Actually Work? 01:44:50 The Strongest Criticisms of Polyvagal Theory 01:49:54 Can Your Nervous System Be “Too Safe”? - Get access to every episode 10 hours before YouTube by subscribing for free on Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn or Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Get my free Reading List of 100 life-changing books here - https://chriswillx.com/books/ Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic here - https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

SPEAKERS

Chris Williamson
host
Host of the Modern Wisdom podcast.
Dr. Stephen Porges
guest
Scientist and originator of Polyvagal Theory.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Modern Wisdom, featuring Chris Williamson and Dr. Stephen Porges, Polyvagal Theory: Why You Feel So Anxious All The Time - Dr Stephen Porges explores polyvagal Theory reframes anxiety as physiology shaping safety and connection Polyvagal Theory argues that moment-to-moment physiological state governs perception, social connection, and access to cognitive/emotional capacities more than conscious intention.

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