Navigating your way back: Part Two

Nervous System Dysregulation

While I’ve taken a little longer to get this instalment to you there has been a lot (of inconsequential happenings) going on in my world. Life has certainly picked up the pace and I found myself in need of stepping up my own personal nervous system regulation practices. It doesn’t escape any of us. Even your therapists. In one way or another, at one time or another we all experience the craziness of life when we find ourselves transported into a whirlwind of epic proportions with a sense of overwhelm setting in.

So, I couldn’t think of a better time to jump back in and pen this ‘Part 2’ I had every intention of writing almost 4 months ago!

Last time I finished with a little piece about ‘self-awareness’. I could honestly write a book about this (maybe I will one day!) about how foundational this is in our lives to affect any kind of positive personal growth.

There is so much I could share in relation to tools and strategies to help navigate anxiety/dysregulation, whether it’s on a day-to-day basis, or every so often. So, I thought I’d share a few of my favourites here.

The Power of the Breath

Perhaps the MOST important go-to for me in any time of increased dysregulation is my breath. I emphasise this with my clients OFTEN. It’s a foundational tool that highlights the important role our breath plays in increasing regulation in our nervous system. Not convinced? Let me share a couple of facts with you.

Our breath is what a regulated nervous system is built on. It is one of our direct links to our parasympathetic nervous system and brings us back to a sense of calm. Our Vagus Nerve is a key part of this function and intersects many different organs within our body – our ears, throat, larynx, pharynx, diaphragm, lungs, stomach, heart etc. When we practice deep belly breathing we’re activating our Vagus Nerve to our parasympathetic (calm) state. In addition to this benefit, our heart rate is lowered and our sympathetic nervous system response (fight/flight/freeze) is dulled in our brain, helping us to access the other thinking parts of our brain not otherwise available when we’re in sympathetic activation.

There’s so much more I could share on the power of the breath, but I’ll leave it there for now. I cannot emphasise enough just how powerful the role our breath plays in nervous system regulation.

Cold Exposure

I gave this a go a couple of years ago and really began to see the benefits. I’ll be honest. I didn’t love it, but I could definitely see how I’d benefit from it if I allowed myself to stick with it.

So how does cold exposure help regulate our nervous system? The cold water activates a particular reflex which helps to instantly slow down our heart rate therefore calming our body, bringing us out of threat responses and helping us to access our parasympathetic (calm) nervous system. It is also an opportunity for us to apply our deep breathing practice to aid that process.

In the interest of transparency, I am that person who wouldn’t even go swimming unless it was 40+degrees in summer, let alone any other time of year. So, I opted to start with something achievable for me. Splashing my face with cold water and turning the hot water off for the last 30 seconds of my shower. My goal is to work toward a cold plunge down the track somewhere! There are many different approaches to cold exposure – there really is something for everyone!

Prayer & Meditation

There has been a great deal of research conducted on prayer and meditation and the benefits to our wellbeing. A number of significant studies conducted found that prayer and meditation can calm your nervous system, shutting down your fight or flight response, causing you to be less reactive to negative emotions and less angry.

This for me is a non- negotiable. This “quiet time” as I like to call it, it absolutely key in helping me to not only keep my nervous system more regulated, but to help keep my perspective in check. In a world full of uncertainty, finding focus, meaning and insight in such moments is incredibly life-giving.

Nervous System regulation is health in motion. Your Nervous System fuels your immune system, hormonal system and digestive system.

Dr Linnea Passaler

Other Tools & Strategies

There really is something for everyone when it comes to tools and strategies for nervous system regulation. It’s not possible to go into all of them here, but I want to encoruage you to explore for yourself other possibilities. As I say to my clients, you won’t connect with every single strategy, but the beauty is that you can find a small handful of strategies that work for YOU. The only one I suggest is not negotiable is the deep breathing strategy. As already mentioned, it is the foundation for achieving greater nervous system regulation.

I have created a free e-resource “7 Strategies to Increase Your Calm” that I’d encourage you to take a look at here for more ideas. Scroll down to access your copy.

Last Word

I doubt that any human being is exempt from experiencing nervous system dysregulation at some time in their lives. When we do, it’s important to be armed and ready with tools to help us through those moments, so we don’t become completely overwhelmed and stuck. Better yet, why not spend time building some of these ‘practices’ into your regular routine. As you do, you are training your nervous system, and creating new pathways in your brain to help sustain a healthy nervous system, keep stress to a minimum and create flexibility for your nervous system to ‘bounce back’ after experiencing the inevitable ups and downs that life presents.

If this is something you’d like to learn more about please reach out.

With you on the journey

Glenda x