Our nervous system has a very big impact on our wellbeing. How relaxed, or stressed you are feeling at any time, defines how you react in situations and how much you are able to enjoy or in what manner you experience what you are doing. As a result it is an extremely useful skill to be able to affect your nervous system.
But lets step back a little and see what the nervous system actually is:
Generally speaking our nervous system consists of a complex network of nerves and cells that deal with both the input and processing of, as well as reactions to sensory information. One part of the nervous system is responsible for voluntary movement, also known as the somatic nervous system, and the other part is responsible for involuntary functions such as the heart rate and breathing. The latter is also known as the autonomic nervous system, which is split into the parasympathetic nervous system and the sympathetic nervous system.
The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for the so-called rest-and-digest processes and helps us relax. The sympathetic nervous system is also known for its effect on the “fight or flight” response, which helps us take life-saving actions when we are in a possibly threatening situation (Mai & Paxinos, 2011).
Nervous system regulation tools, generally aim to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and help us relax, which can help us feel calmer and less anxious in situations that initially activated our sympathetic nervous system, but actually are not dangerous. It is basically us telling our body that there is no threat. If you consider that both of these systems are part of the autonomous nervous system, so the part of the nervous system that we generally do not have control over, this is a fantastic skill to possess!
Here are some generally safe and fairly easy strategies to regulate your nervous system in a variety of ways:
Breathing exercises:
Exercises such as “Box Breathing” or “Belly Breathing” help to relax you by becoming mindful of your breathing and controlling it in a way to help you feel less stressed. By becoming aware of your breathing, slowing it down (especially extending the exhale) you are telling your autonomic nervous system “We are safe, you can switch into the rest-and-digest modus now”.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation:
Progressive Muscle Relaxation is a special form of relaxation exercise that utilizes intentional muscle tensing and relaxing to lower overall tension in the body. At the same time you also focus on calm breathing (McCallie, Blum, & Hood, 2006). This strategy is applicable for many groups, and can be a good alternative to basic breathing exercises, because it is a form of “active relaxation” that involves action rather than other types of relaxation. If you would like to try progressive muscle relaxation, but have some concerns whether this is a safe technique for you to use, check with your doctor first.
Mindfulness:
Mindfulness is a very popular term recently. What it really means is being present and aware of what is happening around you or inside of you in a specific moment. Mindfulness can be practiced in a lot of different ways and contexts. Mindful eating or walking are strategies that are experienced as relaxing by many people, and that can be easily included in our daily lives. They often lead to a slowing down of an activity, which in itself can have a calming effect.
I hope you found this blog post helpful and were able to gain a better understanding of how your nervous system what you can do to regulate it. If you require additional support with nervous system regulation or mental health issues, you can reach out to compass for individual or couples therapy sessions.
References:
Mai, J. K., & Paxinos, G. (Eds.). (2011). The human nervous system. Academic press.
McCallie, M. S., Blum, C. M., & Hood, C. J. (2006). Progressive muscle relaxation. Journal of human behavior in the social environment, 13(3), 51-66.