Feeling other people’s stress can leave you drained, anxious, or disconnected—but it doesn’t have to be this way. Our nervous systems are wired to tune into others, sometimes so tightly that we unconsciously mirror their tension. Whether it’s a high-pressure workplace or a partner who carries a lot of stress, this biological “co-regulation” can make it feel like their stress is yours. You are not powerless. Think of yourself as the gatekeeper of your own nervous system.