Keeping Stress at Bay by Normalizing The Nervous System

Stress is the primary cause of many diseases. Heading into the back-to-work and back-to-school regime can trigger and exacerbate stress. So, it’s worth trying to get ahead of it and preventing the onset by normalizing the nervous system. But first, it’s helpful to understand why this happens. It's not enough to simply avoid threats; our autonomic nervous system must truly learn to build resilience and shift back into a safe mode. Long-term stress responses prepare the body to fight or flee, which can lead to chronic health issues. The brain tends to scramble the physical and emotional pain signals, and when our nervous system isn't relaxed, disease can take root.

In their book The Secret Language of the Body, Karden Rabin and Jennifer Mann explore how the autonomic nervous system governs the constant, mostly subconscious communication between your brain and body. These are the acts of breathing, sneezing and pulling your hand away from a hot stove. When you experience stress, anxiety, or trauma, your nervous system triggers responses to keep survive – autonomously without consciously thinking. However, continuous exposure to unsafe environments, toxic relationships, or negative thought patterns can trap you in survival mode, leading to nervous system deregulation or desensitization. This can result in chronic physical and mental pain, making it difficult to cope with work and life’s challenges.

We can regulate our nervous system by moving out of survival mode and learning to control our body’s nervous system. One effective way Karden suggests countering this is through the practice of AIR—Awareness, Interruption, and Redesign—a method that helps transition from a survival state to a more relaxed, safe state.

Deep breathing is an important tool. Through slow, deep breaths we can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress and anxiety. And practicing mindfulness or meditation can help shift focus away from stressors and promote relaxation.

Check out the September 2024 Spark Challenge in the Blogs section for techniques to train your self into a calm restorative nervous system.