Brain Regions (Part 2): The Limbic System
THE LIMBIC SYSTEM: THE HEART OF YOUR BRAIN
We think of the brain as the seat of intellect, and while that it is the strength of our cerebrum, the limbic system is the heart of the brain. This incredible network of structures deep within the brain gives shape to our emotions, memories, and survival responses.
When your limbic system is balanced, you feel emotionally resilient, motivated, and capable of building meaningful relationships. You can regulate stress, find joy in the little things, and experience life with curiosity.
But under chronic stress or trauma, the limbic system shifts us from curious and responsive to fearful and reactive, leaving us feeling stressed and disconnected. Everyday life starts to feel like a challenge, triggering shame, confusion, and—if unaddressed—becomes a perpetuatal cycle.
Here’s what I tell my patients: Despite your current experience, your brain (and body) is on your team. It’s doing its best to keep you safe. Our bodies are miracles, but they don’t share our intellectual awareness. They’re like kindergarteners, taking in everything—food, relationships, environments, experiences—and doing their best to process it all.
Kindergarteners don’t know how to discern. Stress is stress is stress—whether big presentation at work or running from a bear. When stress happens, your innocent body rallies to keep you alive and safe.
My hope is that understanding how the limbic system works, ou’ll approach your brain and body with more self-compassion. Together, we can uncover gentle ways to calm, heal, and restore balance. Let’s meet the key players, one by one.
MEET THE KEY PLAYERS OF THE LIMBIC SYSTEM
The Amygdala: The Alarm System
The amygdala is the watch guard. It’s like that one meerkat perched on the rock, scanning for hawks and danger while the rest of the adorable critters eat grubs. When that meerkat sounds the alarm—it activates the whole mob’s fight-or-flight response, and they go to ground.
It triggers your fight-or-flight response—that surge of adrenaline when you hear a loud sound, feel unsafe, or remember a past stressful event.
It processes fear, anxiety, and emotional memories to help you respond quickly in stressful situations.
When Overworked: If your amygdala is stuck on high alert—like a fire alarm that won’t turn off—it can leave you feeling anxious, hypervigilant, or reactive. It can also suppress the frontal lobe, which makes logical decision-making harder.
Self-Compassion Tip: If you feel overstimulated or reactive, your amygdala may need reassurance that you’re safe.
Gentle tools like mindful breathing, meditation, or craniosacral therapy (CST) can help send calming signals.
Herbs like albizia or ashwagandha can promote joy and calm.
The Hippocampus: The Memory Builder
The hippocampus is your brain’s archivist—responsible for learning and turning short-term experiences into long-term memories.
It links emotions to memory, making powerful associations between experiences and feelings. It’s why a song or a smell can instantly transport you back to a vivid moment.
Chronic stress, however, can shrink the hippocampus, leading to foggy memory, difficulty learning, and trouble with emotional resilience.
When Hijacked: You might feel overwhelmed, forgetful, or stuck reliving painful memories. Grief or trauma can particularly strain this region.
Self-Compassion Tip: Support your brain’s resilience and memory.
Tools: Mindful movement (like yoga or conscious weightlifting), craniosacral therapy, or CBT can help process and integrate experiences.
Herbs: Motherwort supports emotional steadiness, while ginkgo biloba and rosemary promote circulation and cognitive clarity. Try adding a medicinal mushroom blend with rosemary to your morning tea or coffee—nourishing and delicious.
The Anterior Cingulate Gyrus (ACG): The Emotional Regulator
The ACG bridges feeling and action, helping you:
Pause before reacting.
Stay focused.
Control impulses and process empathy.
It’s also called the “error detector”—it flags when something feels off and helps you know when a task is “complete.”
When Overstimulated: (as in OCD or anxiety), the ACG gets stuck on high alert, leaving you trapped in “what if” thoughts, perfectionism, or body-focused habits like nail-biting.
Self-Compassion Tip: Remind yourself it’s okay to pause and release control.
Journaling or simply saying your thoughts out loud can help break the mental loop. CST can calm overstimulation here, creating a sense of spaciousness and ease.
Boost serotonin naturally with foods like dark chocolate or ground yourself with time spent in nature.
The Hypothalamus: The Stress Manager
Also part of the endocrine system, the hypothalamus is your internal regulator. It maintains balance—controlling your hunger, sleep, body temperature, and stress hormones (like cortisol).
It collaborates with the pituitary gland to respond to stress and keep everything balanced.
When Hijacked: Chronic stress overwhelms the hypothalamus, disrupting sleep, appetite, and energy—cue that hangry, overwhelmed feeling (think of those Snicker’s commercials: “you’re not you when you’re hungry.”)
Self-Compassion Tip: Prioritize simple, restorative routines.
Tools: Consistent sleep and eating habits, daily gratitude practices, and nervous system regulation techniques (like deep breathing) can support the hypothalamus.
Herbs: Calming nervines like skullcap or adaptogens like rhodiola.
The Basal Ganglia: The Motivation Center
The basal ganglia are your doers—they help you start movements, maintain momentum, and shift tasks into habits.
They keep your steps smooth and coordinated and help tasks feel automatic over time.
When Hijacked: You might feel “stuck,” sluggish, or apathetic—like everything takes effort.
Self-Compassion Tip: Small steps build momentum.
Tools: Start with one doable task (tidy a corner, take a short walk) and acknowledge yourself for completing it. The brain thrives on little wins!
Herbs: Lemon balm or Holy Basil (Tulsi) gently energize and uplift.
The Rule of Subtraction
Overwhelm often stems from too much. If you’re feeling scattered, anxious, or stuck, try subtracting what drains you.
Make three lists: Have to’s, Want to’s, and Feel like I need to’s.
Prioritize the “have to’s,” savor the “want to’s,” and take steps to let go of the “need to’s.” Sometimes, simplifying is the most compassionate act we can give ourselves.
Restoring Balance to the Limbic System
The limbic system is not your enemy—it’s working hard to protect you. Healing doesn’t mean forcing change; it’s about creating an environment where your brain feels safe and supported.
Craniosacral Therapy (CST): Releases tension, soothes the nervous system, and restores balance to key limbic structures.
Herbal Support: Adaptogens and nervines like ashwagandha, motherwort, lemon balm, and ginkgo nourish emotional and cognitive resilience.
Mindful Practices: Meditation, gentle movement, and journaling reconnect you to calm and clarity.
Understanding the limbic system gives us tools to approach our emotions and behaviors with self-awareness and care. In future posts, we’ll continue our exploration of the brain’s deeper connections, including areas like the insular cortex and thalamus. I’ll also be sharing a special post, ‘How Trauma Impacts the Brain: Reclaiming Sovereignty with Self-Compassion,’ where we’ll dive into how chronic stress and trauma can hijack these regions—and how we can begin to heal with curiosity, self-love, and gentle tools like craniosacral therapy.
A Reminder on Herbal Remedies
While herbs are natural, they can be just as potent as pharmaceuticals—and sometimes carry their own contraindications and interactions. For instance, rhodiola is contraindicated in bipolar disorder due to its stimulating effects, and St. John’s Wort, wis a CYP450 inducer, meaning it can “speed up” the metabolism of other drugs. Please keep this in mind when choosing natural remedies to support your health. It’s always best to consult with a professional herbalist or integrative provider who can guide you on your natural health journey, ensuring safety and efficacy tailored to your individual needs.
What's coming:
Brain Regions and Their Roles in Thought, Mood, and Movement, Part 1
Brain Regions, Part 2: The Limbic System
Brain Regions, Part 3
How Trauma Impacts the Brain: Reclaiming Sovereignty with Self-Compassion
Craniosacral Therapy - Enhancing Nervous System Balance
Are there specific areas of the nervous system you're curious about? Drop a comment below, and I'll be sure to cover them as we journey through this incredible body-wide network!
