Huh. Well that was really rather interesting. I definitely learned something today.

Dr. Juna Bobby (whose voice is quite calming, actually) explains that stress is a fact of life. We can’t avoid it. In fact, she says that our “stress response” is what keeps us alive. That’s a good thing. The problem comes when we don’t come down from that stress. Citing Dr. Bruce McEwen‘s research on the effects of stress, she says that if we don’t regulate the nervous system often enough, stress accumulates in our bodies. Dr. McEwen called it “Allostatic Load”. It’s the constant, heightened state of stress that takes a devastating toll on the body if we don’t do something about it. Basically, bad things happen like a domino effect. Each system affects other systems until finally they collapse.

Crikey!

Dr. Juna goes on to explain that we often try to just “think” our way out of the stressful situation. The problem, however, is that stress responses are automatic in our bodies. We feel them in our bodies. So trying to think our way out if it doesn’t always work. (Which also explains why, when someone tells me to “just calm down”, it drives me nuts and makes me want to slap them upside the head.) She then explains that the vagal nerve, which elevates the parasympathetic system (the one that tells our bodies to “rest and digest”), is responsible for 80% of the messages sent from our bodies to our brains. So if we can create a feeling of safety within our bodies, they will then tell our brains to chill out.

Holy moly!

Ok, so how do we do that? Dr. Juna says that breathwork is probably the easiest way to show our bodies that we’re safe and that we can calm down. She also says that slow, deep, or rhythmic breathing is best. The more we practice it, the better we get at it. And the stronger our “vagal tone” becomes, the easier it is to come down after experiencing stress. She introduces an exercise in which we breathe in for five seconds, then breathe out for five seconds. She leads us through the breathing, counting for us, then drops it back to simply “inhale” and “exhale”. I’ll admit that the first breath was difficult for me because I inhaled a little too much too quickly and ended up holding my breath for a second or two until I was allowed to release it. Once I figured out how to pace myself, I was able to keep up. If you find that a 5-second count is too much for you, you can always modify it by either counting for four seconds in and four seconds out. Another method could be to inhale for four, hold for one, exhale for four, hold for one. It’s up to you.

After the session I felt pretty calm, to be honest. My body was more relaxed. My brain wasn’t bouncing all over the place. I feel like I can handle things that come up in a calmer, more mindful way. This is a handy little tool for when things get a little crazy and I’m going to use it for sure. Simple. Easy. Doesn’t take long to do. Yep. I like it. I hope you do too.

Love and light . . . have a great day!

#nervoussystemresetchallenge

#breathe

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.