Calm Your Nervous System
In our fast-paced world, managing anxiety and stress can be challenging, especially during midlife when hormonal and lifestyle changes can amplify these feelings. This week, we’re focusing on ways to help relax and calm your nervous system to better handle anxiety and stress. Here are some practical strategies to incorporate into your daily routine:
Understanding the Connection Between Breathing and Anxiety
Our body’s natural fight-or-flight response can sometimes trigger anxiety even when there’s no immediate threat. This reaction can manifest as heart palpitations, rapid breathing, or a general feeling of being on edge. One critical factor in managing this response is our breathing pattern.
Breathing and the Diaphragm: The diaphragm plays a significant role in regulating our heart rate and calming our nervous system. When you breathe deeply, your diaphragm moves up and down, which affects your heart rate and massages the vagus nerve. This nerve is essential for controlling our parasympathetic (rest and digest) and sympathetic (fight or flight) systems.
To optimize this calming effect, practice the 360 breathing pattern. Imagine your rib cage expanding like a jellyfish in all directions—front, sides, and back—during each breath. This helps ensure your diaphragm moves fully, which can enhance vagus nerve stimulation and promote relaxation.
Improving Posture for Better Breathing
Our posture can significantly impact our ability to breathe deeply and manage anxiety. Many of us spend hours in a rounded, forward position, which constrains the diaphragm and restricts full rib cage expansion.
Posture Correction Exercise:
- Sit in a comfortable position.
- Focus on the notch at the top of your spine where your neck begins.
- Imagine this part of your spine gently pulling back toward the wall behind you. This should open up your sternum and chest area without straining your shoulders.
- Maintain a natural, neutral posture—avoid excessive rib cage flaring.
This alignment helps facilitate better breathing and reduces tension, contributing to a calmer state of mind.
Incorporating Movement for a Calmer Nervous System
Movement can also play a crucial role in managing stress. Engaging in a variety of physical activities can help alleviate anxiety and improve overall well-being.
Rotation and Mobility:
- Work on rotational movements to enhance thoracic spine mobility. This area often becomes stiff, leading to compensatory movements in the lower back.
- Simple exercises like seated twists or using a resistance band can help improve this mobility and release tension in the diaphragm.
Practical Steps for Daily Calm
Here are additional strategies to help calm your nervous system throughout the day:
- Mindful Breathing: Take a few minutes each day to practice deep 360 breathing, especially before meals, to promote relaxation and improve digestion.
- Healthy Posture: Regularly check and correct your posture to ensure you’re supporting proper breathing and reducing physical stress.
- Movement Variety: Incorporate different types of physical activity to keep your body and mind engaged and relaxed.
For further insights, check out these related episodes:
- Episode 99: Fruits and Vegetables to Reduce Anxiety
- Episode 98: Easing Stress and Anxiety in Children
- Episode 97: Healing Anxiety and Trauma
- Episode 50.2: Posture and Anxiety
- Episode 14: Activating the Vagus Nerve for Stress Relief
Incorporate these practices into your routine to support a more relaxed and balanced nervous system. Remember, small changes can lead to significant improvements in managing anxiety and stress.
