Butterworth Method to Reset Your Nervous System

This self-healing practice has the potential to dramatically change your health.

The balance of our nervous system is one of the most important factors contributing to health and happiness. Most people operate in a sympathetic dominant state, which drives

Inflammation
Elevated cortisol levels,
Disrupts sleep
Imbalances hormones
Weight gain and bloating
Reduced Immunity
Reactive digestive system
Fatigue and low energy

Virtually every condition that is linked to modern-day disease can be linked back to an imbalance of the nervous system.

The good news is I developed a very simple but powerful technique, which, when performed daily, resets your nervous system balance. Think of your nervous system as a set of scales. When constantly loading on the sympathetic side, you end up with an imbalance that must be reset.

The Butterworth Method

This method/practice has been developed over the past 20 years as a health researcher and educator. Dealing with hundreds of thousands of people a year, I see patterns. Two factors led me to this discovery. Two that always stood out were the impacts of low nitric oxide levels and deregulation of the nervous system.

Stage 1

Initially, I created a set of frequencies that mirror the 7 main energy centres in the body. By exposing the body to these frequencies in Biaural fashion, it stimulates these energy centres to open up. (slightly different frequencies in each ear)

On top of these core frequencies, which also occur everywhere in nature, I infused them with the 4 brainwave frequencies (delta, theta, alpha, beta) that regulate our emotional state. This alone, by simply listening to the track, helps to reset the nervous system. Especially just before bed.

Stage 2

I then became interested in breathwork.

Our breath mirrors our emotional state and vice versa. ie. If we are stressed, our breathing rate increases. If we focus on the breath, our nervous system calms.

There is this inverse relationship that has direct access to our central nervous system and especiall vagus nerve, which plays an important role in balancing our sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.

I introduced at this stage box breathing, which is a combination of breath holding and balanced breath in and out. This has an extremely powerful effect on upregulating our Heart Rate Variability HRV. Our HRV is a direct signal reflecting the degree of nervous system balance and can be measured using smart watches.

Stage 3

This is where the magic happened.

The combination of the first two stages had a profound effect on people's nervous system. However, when I started to become aware of the importance of an internal molecule called nitric oxide.

I investigated how to naturally increase it in our bodies. Nitric oxide drops as we age and the level is heavily dependent on the quality of our diet and exercise. It is a molecule of wellbeing. The higher the levels, the healthier we are, the lower they are, the more chance of chronic disease developing or already in place. Nitric oxide plays many roles in the body.

If you want evidence of the importance of nitric oxide, here is the list of actions in the body;

Cardiovascular / Vascular

Vasodilation (relaxes blood vessels)
Reduces vascular resistance
Regulates blood pressure
Improves endothelial function
Enhances blood flow and tissue perfusion
Regulates healthy cholesterol balance
Reduces arterial stiffness
Supports angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation)

Nervous System / Neurological

Acts as a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator
Regulates autonomic nervous system balance
Supports vagal tone and parasympathetic activity
Modulates sympathetic nervous system signalling
Influences synaptic plasticity and learning
Regulates cerebral blood flow
Supports neurovascular coupling
Influences pain signalling pathways
Modulates stress response pathways

Metabolic / Mitochondrial

Improves insulin sensitivity
Enhances glucose uptake in skeletal muscle
Supports mitochondrial efficiency
Regulates oxygen utilisation
Improves metabolic flexibility
Supports fat metabolism
Influences energy production (ATP synthesis regulation)

Muscular / Exercise Physiology

Improves muscle blood flow
Enhances exercise performance
Delays muscle fatigue
Improves muscle pump
Supports recovery after training

Hormonal / Endocrine

Influences hormone release signalling
Supports reproductive physiology
Modulates testosterone-related pathways
Influences adrenal stress hormone responses

Immune / Inflammatory

Regulates inflammatory signalling
Supports immune defence mechanisms
Modulates cytokine production
Participates in antimicrobial activity
Influences oxidative stress balance

Respiratory

Regulates airway tone
Improves pulmonary blood flow matching
Influences oxygen exchange efficiency

Gastrointestinal

Regulates gut motility
Supports digestive blood flow
Influences enteric nervous system signalling
Modulates gut barrier function

Cellular / Molecular

Acts as a signalling molecule
Regulates gene expression pathways
Influences apoptosis (programmed cell death)
Modulates redox balance

It is pretty clear how important it is for our total body function and well-being.

At the time, supplements didn't exist to boost nitric oxide like we now have Boost and Ultimate 4. The only real way to boost nitric oxide was through an unlikely method. HUMMING. Humming increases nitric oxide through the vibrations and breathwork in the nasal cavity.

What I then added to the exercise was humming, in tune with the core 7 frequencies. So I layered the impact of the first two stages, biaural frequencies and breathwork along with the humming to create one of the most powerful self-healing exercises ever developed.

Putting it all together

The unique combination is akin to what Buddhist monks had been doing for centuries. I had just brought it into the modern world with technology, so you do not need to leave the material world and become a monk.

Putting it into practice

The actual practice or daily exercise is extremely simple, however takes some practice and getting used to. Especially if your nervous system is severely disregulated. It takes some level of breath strength and internal energy to hum for the 15 minutes. I also have a 30 minute version for people more advanced.

Start by sitting upright in a comfortable chair. This is important. It is hard to hum in a lying position.

Place a set of headphones. ideally noise cancelling but not essential. Put the volume to a comfortable level so that you can still hear yourself hum. Yes you can still hear with noise cancelling. You almost feel it vibrating in your head and neck.

Take a few deep breaths slowly before starting.

Press play and either watch the video (another level of relaxation) or close your eyes. Whatever is comfortable.

Start by humming to the frequency that is playing. If you have done any yoga, the length of the hum is similar to an OM, or the length of your breath. Try to keep the exhalation hum the same length as your breath in. The length will depend on your ability to breathe out. When first starting, take a breath or two between each hum cycle. Once you become more proficient, you can hum on the outward breaths through the whole 7 cycles.

Once the frequency or pitch changes, change the pitch of your hum to match. It can take some time to learn this, so don't feel bad if it is clumsy to start.

As you proceed through the frequencies, you may get tired, which is ok from the physical effort. (Another one of the benefits is increasing breath strength, called zong qi in Chinese medicine and closely related to longevity)

When finished, sit quietly reflecting on how your breath has calmed and is now in synch, feel the balance of your nervous system, and try to maintain that state for as long as possible as you go through your day's activities or retire to bed.

Consistency

You will get the benefits right from the first time you practice, no matter how clumsy it may be. However, with all actions, just like exercise, consistency, practice and self-discipline are vital to really extract the long term benefits from this practice. It takes 15 minutes a day, which everyone has, and is absolutely free.

Summary

If you have the resources to add in the BOOST 3 and Ultimate 4, which boost nitric oxide levels internally, increase energy, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, protect your brain health and reduce metabolic disease, you have an extremely powerful combination of practice and supplements which will literally improve every symptom in your body.

Click here to buy the Ultimate 4 and Boost Bundle

Additional information if you want to research and understand the practice further.

Brainwave States and Nervous System Effects

Delta (0.5–4 Hz)

Deep sleep
Tissue repair
Parasympathetic dominance

Theta (4–8 Hz)

Deep relaxation
Emotional processing
Meditation states

Alpha (8–12 Hz)

Calm alertness
Reduced sympathetic activation
Improved vagal tone potential

Beta (13–30 Hz)

Active thinking
Problem solving
Higher sympathetic tone

Understanding the Sympathetic, Parasympathetic and the Role of the Vagus Nerve

The human nervous system is designed to help us adapt, survive and thrive.
At the centre of this adaptability is the balance between two key branches of the autonomic nervous system:

The sympathetic nervous system
The parasympathetic nervous system

When these systems work in harmony, the body maintains metabolic efficiency, hormonal stability, healthy inflammation control and optimal energy production.
When they become imbalanced, a cascade of dysfunction can occur.

The Sympathetic Nervous System

The sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for action.
It is often referred to as the fight or flight system.

Its primary functions include:

Increasing heart rate and blood pressure
Mobilising glucose and fatty acids for energy
Enhancing alertness and reaction time
Redirecting blood flow to muscles
Suppressing digestion and reproductive function during stress

This system is essential for survival.
Short bursts of sympathetic activation can improve performance, focus and physical output.

However, modern lifestyles often lead to chronic sympathetic dominance.

Persistent stress, poor sleep, metabolic dysfunction, overtraining and psychological pressure can keep the body in a prolonged activated state.

The Parasympathetic Nervous System

The “Recovery” and Restoration System

The parasympathetic system performs the opposite role.
It is often described as the rest and digest system.

Its functions include:

Slowing heart rate
Enhancing digestion and nutrient absorption
Supporting hormonal signalling and reproductive health
Promoting tissue repair and recovery
Regulating immune and inflammatory responses
Supporting deep restorative sleep

Parasympathetic activity allows the body to repair, rebuild and optimise long-term health.

Without adequate parasympathetic activation, the body remains in a state of physiological “urgency,” even when no real threat is present.

The Vagus Nerve

A Central Regulator of Balance

A key component of the parasympathetic system is the vagus nerve.

This long cranial nerve connects the brain to major organs including:

The heart
Lungs
Liver
Digestive system
Pancreas

The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in:

Heart rate variability and cardiovascular regulation
Gut motility and microbiome signalling
Inflammatory control through the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway
Blood sugar regulation
Emotional resilience and stress recovery

Higher vagal tone is associated with better metabolic health, improved emotional regulation and enhanced recovery capacity.

When the Nervous System Becomes Imbalanced

Chronic sympathetic activation combined with reduced parasympathetic tone can contribute to a wide range of modern health challenges.

Weight Gain and Fat Distribution

Elevated stress hormones such as cortisol can:

Increase appetite and cravings
Promote central fat storage
Reduce metabolic flexibility
Impair insulin sensitivity

Hormonal Imbalance

Sympathetic dominance can disrupt endocrine signalling, contributing to:

Reduced testosterone in men
Altered thyroid function
Poor reproductive hormone balance
Reduced growth and repair signalling

Metabolic Disease

Autonomic imbalance is increasingly recognised as a contributor to:

Insulin resistance
Fatty liver
Dyslipidaemia
Elevated blood pressure

Parasympathetic dysfunction may impair glucose regulation, digestion and mitochondrial energy production.

Chronic Inflammation

Reduced vagal activity can weaken the body’s ability to regulate inflammation.
This may contribute to:

Low-grade systemic inflammation
Immune dysregulation
Slower recovery from illness or training
Increased cardiovascular risk

The Role of Nitric Oxide in Nervous System Balance

Nitric oxide is increasingly recognised as a central signalling molecule that connects the nervous system, cardiovascular system, metabolism and hormonal regulation.

While often discussed in the context of circulation and blood pressure, nitric oxide also plays an important role in autonomic nervous system balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.

Nitric Oxide and the Sympathetic Nervous System

The sympathetic nervous system drives activation, stress responses and energy mobilisation.

Nitric oxide helps to moderate excessive sympathetic activity through several mechanisms:

Promotes vasodilation, reducing vascular resistance and blood pressure
Improves blood flow to the brain and muscles, reducing perceived physiological threat
Supports endothelial signalling that dampens overactivation of stress pathways
May reduce excessive release of stress hormones under certain conditions

When nitric oxide availability is reduced, vascular stiffness can increase.
This may contribute to heightened sympathetic tone and reduced cardiovascular adaptability.

Nitric Oxide and the Parasympathetic System

Nitric oxide is also involved in supporting parasympathetic activation and recovery physiology.

It contributes to:

Improved heart rate variability
Enhanced vagal tone
Better gastrointestinal blood flow and digestion
Improved sleep physiology and tissue recovery
Efficient oxygen delivery at the mitochondrial level

This creates an internal environment more conducive to repair, regeneration and hormonal signalling.

Interaction with the Vagus Nerve

The vagus nerve plays a central role in regulating inflammation, heart rate and metabolic signalling.

Nitric oxide may influence vagal function through:

Supporting endothelial health in vessels supplying key organs
Improving baroreceptor sensitivity, which helps regulate autonomic balance
Enhancing communication between cardiovascular and nervous systems
Supporting anti-inflammatory signalling pathways

Higher nitric oxide availability is often associated with greater cardiovascular flexibility and improved autonomic responsiveness.

Consequences of Low Nitric Oxide Availability

Reduced nitric oxide production can occur with:

Aging
Insulin resistance
Poor diet
Physical inactivity
Chronic stress
Endothelial dysfunction

This reduction may contribute to:

Increased Sympathetic Dominance

Elevated blood pressure
Reduced vascular compliance
Heightened stress physiology

Impaired Metabolic Regulation

Reduced glucose uptake
Lower mitochondrial efficiency
Reduced exercise tolerance

Hormonal and Recovery Challenges

Poor sleep quality
Reduced anabolic signalling
Slower tissue repair

Increased Inflammatory Tone

Endothelial inflammation
Reduced anti-inflammatory signalling
Greater cardiometabolic risk

Restoring Nervous System Balance

Optimising nervous system balance is a fundamental component of health optimisation.
Key strategies include:

Prioritising deep, consistent sleep
Managing psychological stress
Engaging in regular physical activity without excessive overtraining
Supporting metabolic health through nutrition
Breathwork and relaxation practices that stimulate vagal tone
Maintaining cardiovascular and nitric oxide function

When the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems operate in rhythm, the body is better able to adapt to stress, regulate hormones, control inflammation and maintain metabolic efficiency.