Welcome to a talk on the nervous system and your well-being.
So I've been intuitively guided to talk about this and when we understand things we can then improve them because being human is unique in that we can evolve and conquer many life situations.
I hope getting to know yourself regarding the body and all that is in there will enhance your well-being.
So relax,
Listen and let's begin.
The key components of the nervous system are the following.
The brain that processes information and tells the body what to do.
The spinal cord,
A long bundle of nerves running down the back acting as the main highway for messages between the brain and the body.
Also the nerves that are thread-like wires spread throughout the body that carry signals to and from the brain.
And also the neuron cells that make up the nervous system and send electrical messages.
The nerves act like wires sending signals to the brain about what is happening around you at all times,
Such as hot,
Cold or pain.
The brain processes the information and sends instructions back to muscles or organs.
Plus the nervous system controls things that we don't think about.
These are on autopilot,
Which are breathing,
Heartbeat and blinking.
Now the nervous system allows for quick reflex reactions,
Such as pulling your hand away from a hot stove without thinking.
So the main theme is about looking after your nervous system and in fact improving it,
Which is lifestyle such as rich nutrient foods,
B vitamins,
Omega-3,
Leafy greens,
Egg,
Fish,
Seeds and nuts.
It also includes regular moderate exercise and plenty of water,
Because with water dehydration disrupts the nervous signals.
And lastly regular adequate sleep and also stress management through techniques like deep breathing and meditation and spending time in nature that support the nerve function,
Reduce stress hormones.
Now stress management includes deep breathing,
Practice slow deep breaths to activate relaxation.
So why not just take a nice deep breath now to improve your well-being.
Other stress management is mindfulness and meditation techniques such as grounding,
Focusing on a small object or just your feet to help calm racing thoughts.
Also yoga and also stretching.
Gentle movements reduce cortisol,
The stress hormone.
And for exercise,
Walking,
Swimming,
Cycling to increase the blood flow and oxygen and nutrients to the brain,
Thus supporting new neuron growth.
Quality sleep allows the brain and nerves to repair and recharge.
Now other supportive practices include code exposure,
Such as brief code showers can stimulate the vagus nerve and improve balance.
Or perhaps dip your feet in cold water,
Whichever seems okay with you.
To understand the foundation,
The functions of the automatic nervous system,
Specifically your fight or flight and rest and digest responses.
Both are equally important for helping you regulate your nervous system,
Bringing it back into what is called your window of tolerance.
So when your heart feels like it is beating too fast,
That is your sympathetic nervous system communicating with you.
It's preparing you for action,
So you are getting ready to fight or flight.
And noticing that when you're around certain people that make you feel relaxed,
They have a calming energy and this makes your heart rate relaxed.
It also makes sense why we get so nervous,
For example,
Before exams or why you might have a hard time feeling comfortable in a unfamiliar environment.
It is your automatic nervous system communicating with you,
Telling you how it feels,
So in that moment we can slow down to listen.
The nervous system are like blueprints for the lives we've lived and the experiences we've had.
No two nervous systems have experienced the exact same set of life experiences,
Which means everyone's command centers have developed unique responses to different stimuli in the world.
So what regulates you may not regulate me.
But at the end of the day,
Our nervous system is always working to keep us safe.
Now sometimes they misfire or misread potential threats,
But the intention is always safety.
So what can you work on is redefining what safe means to you.
Learning about your unique nervous system and how it responds can be liberating,
Leading to improving your regulation and self-soothing skills.
So the next time you notice your breath quicken or your shoulders rise,
Just take a moment and ask what your nervous system is trying to tell you.
And included in all of this is the topic of trauma.
Any type of trauma can get stuck in the body,
Keeping the nervous system in a heightened state of alert,
Which is fight,
Flight or freeze.
With certain techniques we can help discharge that trapped energy and signal to the brain that we are safe,
Allowing the nervous system to return to a calmer,
More regulated state.
Remembering traumatic events push the nervous system outside its ability to regulate itself.
The system gets stuck on the on position and the person is overstimulated and unable to calm.
Thus anxiety,
Anger,
Restlessness and hyperactivity can all result when we stay in the ready-to-react mode on.
So releasing trauma from the body involves discharging stuck energy through gentle movement,
Also even physically shaking and focus awareness of sensations.
To calm the nervous system again,
Focus on completing unfinished,
Survivable loops by tracking physical sensations.
This could be tension or heat,
And using gentle shakes,
Stretches and even rocking to release trapped energy and signal safety back to the brain.
So therapeutic approaches is focusing on bodily sensations rather than just thoughts,
Helping to release trapped trauma tension energy.
Also using bilateral stimulation,
Eye movements or tapping to help the brain reprocess traumatic memories,
Reducing their emotional charge,
Bringing you back to the present.
Talking the body into good posture and to let go of tension.
Also to challenge unhelpful old thought patterns.
The motion of mindfulness and deep breathing.
This relax and activates the parasympathetic nervous system,
Lowering and lowering cortisol levels.
Reconnecting with your body and not in the head to process somatic awareness,
Hence the body emotions and sensations.
We also touch on reducing avoidance,
But gradually encouraging the return to activities previously avoided because it is stable in those areas now.
This promotes your well-being.
And engaging in regular mental and physical activities,
Strengthen neural pathways.
Also repetition and intensity.
This means practicing new skills with high intensity,
Increases the efficiency of brain retraining.
So learning new challenging tasks,
And these can be like a new language or a musical instrument,
Will improve the brain functions.
Also drinking tea.
Tea has been linked to lowering levels of stress.
Connecting to music also helps the nervous system.
It can act as a tool to shift the body from a high stress sympathetic state to calm.
But we must also include the music we enjoy to encourage endorphins.
Studies have also shown that listening to music can reduce anxiety and pain.
We also enter the topic of even singing,
Chanting and humming.
These activities activate the valgus nerves.
Finally,
The topic of what sort of people have the best or most resilient nervous system.
Characterized by high nervous system flexibility.
The ability to shift efficiently between states of high alert and deep rest.
These type of people possess a high vagal tone,
Allowing them to calm down quickly after stress.
First is the high flexibility resilience.
They have a wide window of tolerance,
Meaning they can handle high stress without falling into a state of panic,
Or total shutdown.
A high vagal tone allows for faster recovery.
They also can activate their fight or flight response when necessary.
But critically,
They can return to rest and digest once the danger has passed.
The habits that foster a strong nervous system,
Again is lifestyle and nutrition,
Regular physical activity,
And again,
Regular sleep.
The mindfulness somatic practice,
Again is yoga,
Meditation,
Deep breathing,
Humming,
Also social connection.
Being around trusted people and building nurturing relationships helps release oxytocin,
Which acts as a buffer against stress.
As for highly sensitive people,
While they may be easily overwhelmed by sensory input,
They often have a deeply attuned,
Responsive nervous system that is highly and empathetic.
When well managed,
This can be their strength.
Some people,
Such as those with ADHD,
Have a nervous system that performs best when driven by interest,
Passion,
And novelty,
Rather than just importance or pressure.
Those who continue to learn new skills or information throughout their lives maintain higher gray matter volume and better nerve connections.
Also,
Having pets and certain animals or even comforting objects provide crucial resources and safety.
In summary,
A best nervous system is not one that never experiences stress or danger,
But one that is flexible enough to recover and maintain balance efficiently,
Making that shift from fight or flight to a state of safety and regulation.
This talk is now completed,
And I would like to give you 5 minutes of sound healing music now.
I also invite you to pay attention to your nervous system and see if all of you can relax.
All parts of you need to stretch or shake off stuck energy.
Enjoy as you tap into your well-being with blessings.
