5 Ways to Nourish your NErvous System

Originally Written on Aug 13 2021

These days a lot of us are feeling fatigued and borderline burnt out, if not there already. Our bodies and nervous system can handle stress…. up to a certain point.  When you are living in a stressful experience for a long period of time, your health can suffer.  Symptoms can range from brain fog to gut issues, from anxiety to difficulty concentration. The symptoms of burnout can be wide reaching and different to every person out there.

The good news: There are small practices you can do TODAY to nourish your nervous system and decrease the detrimental effects of stress on your body and mind.

A Brief Overview: The Autonomic Nervous System 

Your nervous system is made up of the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system.  The autonomic nervous system is an important part of the peripheral nervous system that plays an integral role in how our body responds to and handles stress.

There are two branches of the autonomic nervous system: the sympathetic nervous system (your fight and flight system) and the parasympathetic (your rest and digest system). You can stimulate the different branches of the autonomic nervous system through different practices. In this overworked and highly stressed world, you can get stuck in a chronic fight or flight, aka sympathetic nervous system response.

A chronic sympathetic nervous system response can lead to muscle tension, headaches, chronic pain, increased inflammation, increased risk of hypertension and heart disease and gastrointestinal disorders (and more!).

Using physical practices and techniques, you can learn how to nourish your nervous system and decrease the risk of suffering from chronic stress symptoms.

5 ways to nourish Your Nervous System

Breathwork:

Breathwork can be used to stimulate the sympathetic or parasympathetic nervous system depending on the technique used.  Box breathing is a technique in which you Inhale, hold, exhale, hold, all for the same amount of time (ex: 4 seconds) balances the nervous system. Any breathwork that lengthens the EXHALE stimulates the parasympathetic nervous (rest and digest). You can use box breathing with longer exhales or practice inhaling for a count of 4 and exhaling for a count of 6-7.

Self Massage:

Physical touch can be helpful to calm the body and nervous system. Self massage with tools such as yoga tune up balls, soft playground balls or foam rollers can be a really great way to decrease tension and discomfort in the body.  When our body is stressed, massage can help stress in common places such as hips, shoulders and low back. Using the tools above to massage these areas can relieve tension in these muscles. Try this upper trap roll out OR this foot roll out— two of my FAVS!

Social Connection:

Healthy connections and healthy relationships help support and nourish our nervous system.

Our  nervous system responds to social cues such as eye contact, touch, interpersonal warmth, and tone of voice. Participating in supportive conversations with direct eye contact, warm tone of voice and physical touch (safe and consensual) supports and nourishes our nervous system.

Time outdoors:

Spending time in nature can reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Spending 20-30 minutes a day about 3 days a week can have the desired effects. Spending time outdoors also enhances creativity, boosts immune system and restores focus.  A short walk in nature can go a long way to supporting multiple systems in your body.

Vagus Nerve Stimulation:

Our Vagus Nerve regulates internal organ functions, such as digestion, heart rate, and respiratory rate. By stimulating the vagus nerve, you can send a message to your body that it is time to relax and destress.  A couple of simple ways to stimulate the vagus nerve is through vibration such as humming, singing, chanting or even gargling water.

One last bonus trick: take deep breaths and slow down! Practice giving yourself time to love your body and mind and your nervous system will thank you.

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3 ways to activate your parasympathetic Nervous System