Cultivating Calm
How to calm an overactive nervous system and why is it so important for our health?
When our body has ongoing sympathetic nervous system SNS (fight or flight) dominance it can lead to a state of chronic stress. Our fight or flight response is an automatic physiological reaction to a perceived threat such as potential harm. During these times our adrenal glands release hormones including adrenaline, norepinephrine and cortisol, and these hormones trigger reactions such as an increased heart & breathing rate, increase in temperature and blood pressure. Our body basically shuts down or slows most other functions in preparation for battle, a preparation for ‘fight’ or for ‘flight’ in the face of danger. Very handy when we are in a threatening situation, however, what if our sympathetic nervous system is constantly stimulated due to our busy lives or the way we handle daily stress?
If we reach the point of chronic stress we leave ourselves wide open to developing health conditions including but not limited to:
heart disease
hypertension
anxiety
panic attacks
insomnia
palpitations
adrenal fatigue
poor digestion etc
Studies also show that chronic stress is associated with increased inflammatory activity, in other words, systemic inflammation. Inflammation is a driver of many if not most chronic health conditions and is something we really want to avoid.
So what can we do about this?
Our parasympathetic nervous system PSNS (rest & digest) is a network of nerves that works to relax your body after periods of stress or danger. Once we activate this PSNS our breathing and heart rates slow, our blood pressure reduces and our digestion starts to function properly again.
Ok, so we all have busy lives with competing demands and we have daily stress we need to deal with, such is modern life! By consciously taking the time to activate our PSNS each day we can calm our nervous system, drive down our stress levels, and reduce our risk of SNS dominance and chronic health conditions.
Some simple ways to activate our PSNS each day:
breathing exercises that include full belly inhales and slow exhales
yoga particularly yin yoga, or tai chi, qi-gong
meditation
journalling
stretching
mindfulness
gentle walking
massage
epsom salt bath with lavender essential oil
You can start out small, even 5 - 10 minutes daily and slowly build up. The secret is a daily practice.
I also find having a clean & tidy space helps me relax. If you are able to clean the house or even one room, you will then be able to practice your relaxation technique without feeling cluttered. You could even make tidying a mindful act, focusing on the sounds, sensations and smells as you straighten up and put items away. Wiping the kitchen sink with eucalyptus oil, playing some soft classical music as you fold the laundry. Little acts that bring you to the present moment.
There are also herbal remedies and practitioner-only supplements that work beautifully to restore our nervous system and adrenals. Some of my favourites are:
Passionflower - Passiflora incarnata is a beautifully supportive herb that helps increase levels of GABA in the brain
Ashwagandha - Withania Somnifera is an adaptogen has been clinically shown to reduce stress and anxiety levels
Valerian - Valeriana officinalis helps to calm the nervous system when it is overactive
Magnesium - preferably glycinate
B vitamins particularly B1, B6 & B12
Omega 3 fatty acids
Always consult a qualified practitioner before taking any herbs or supplements for stress. For a supportive and nurturing space to learn how to best reduce your stress levels, please book in with me for a consultation.
B x
https://www.bgnaturopathy.com/consultations
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