Why is it important to settle the nervous system?

As we start this 28 Day journey to greater balance it’s important to get our mind, body and nutrition aligned. One thing that can affect the way we move, how we breathe, and what we eat is stress. Stress plays a key role in how we regulate the nervous system.

What is stress and how does it affect us?

Stress is our bodies way of responding to any kind of demand or threat. Stress triggers the ‘fight or flight’ (sympathetic nervous system) response in the body and can lead to increased alertness, energy and productivity. A complete lack of stress can lead to reduced motivation and performance. Some stress is good, but in a busy world, more often than not we are stressed, on high alert and have an overproduction of cortisol (the stress response hormone) in the body, which can lead to weight gain, adrenal fatigue, slow metabolism, hormonal imbalances and poor sleep. 

The parasympathetic nervous system is the ‘rest and digest’ nervous system. This helps to regulate heart rate, digestive organs, relax muscles, and create a sense of ease in the body and the mind. We need to be in a balance for the nervous system to work at optimal levels for energy and vitality. It is important to move well, eat well, sleep well, and have moments for down time and relaxation to keep the stress levels in balance.

Slow, deep breaths can trigger the relaxation response, which is why we have provided you with some simple breath techniques on the next page you can practice and master in your own time. 

Lots of us don’t even realise that the body is in a state of stress. Little things can build and overtime they can imbalance the nervous system, making it harder to break the cycle of stress.

Check in with yourself each day and make a conscious effort to nourish your body so you can regulate your stress response.

• Practice a balanced approach to movement: yoga, pilates, yin and meditation.

• Take 10 deep breaths.

• Look up, get outside, open your eyes, stop what you are doing and appreciate what is around you.

• Take time out to actively ‘do nothing’, day dream and fantasise. This stimulates the brains creative thinking and helps keep your thoughts in perspective.

• Get out in nature to connect with circadian rhythms for greater nourishment to your own body and less tech stimulation.

• Be mindful of when and what you eat. Are you getting a balance of vegetables, protein and healthy fats in every meal? Are you giving your digestion a rest between meals? Are you eating enough throughout the day?

• Drink plenty of water, dehydration can put stress on the body and deplete energy levels.

• Book a self care activity in each month; a massage, a fun activity or a weekend road trip.

Make sure you check out the resources from Naturopath Sarah on how to nourish the nervous system.