The Importance of Rest
“If it’s not ‘productive,’ we don’t prioritize it.”
Learning about our body's stress response and the parasympathetic nervous system completely transformed my health. We live in a world of never ending to-do lists, where taking the time to make a home cooked meal or turn off our phones for a few hours has become such a luxury. If it’s not ‘productive,’ we don’t prioritize it. I’m the first to admit I’ve fallen victim to this in the past, and it’s still a daily battle. However, I have seen the difference in my health when I choose calm. I choose to prioritize the things that bring me back to a calm state, and set boundaries with the things that don’t, because let's be honest, they aren’t completely avoidable.
Fight or Flight and Your Nervous System
Our sympathetic nervous system is otherwise known as fight or flight. Our bodies think we’re in danger, but our bodies also don’t know when we’re being chased by a dangerous animal or when our to-do list is requiring too much of our time, our boss is yelling at us, or you’re constantly tiptoeing around another’s feelings. When the sympathetic nervous system is activated, our stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline) are both released, which is a normal and healthy stress response. The problem arises when we don’t complete the stress cycle and return to a calm baseline and normal state of being. Being in a constant state of fight or flight can show up as the following:
Poor Digestion
You have a short fuse and feel like your mood is unstable.
Sleep is inconsistent and disrupted
You find it difficult to take breaks and truly relax
The good news is there are some simple practices we can start implementing to take the first steps to activate our parasympathetic nervous system and fall into a calmer state of being. Many of them are free, many of them don’t take much time, and they are habits we can easily stack on top of the things we’re already doing.
3 (free) Ways to Support your Parasympathetic Nervous System
Meditation, and specifically focussing on your breath. When we are stressed, our breath is short and fast, when we are calm, our breath becomes long and slow. By controlling your breath, you are bringing your body back to a calm state of being. Start with a 5 minute practice, breathing in for 4 counts, and then out for 6.
Getting adequate sleep - For some, sleep can be the only time our bodies fully reach the rest and repair part of our nervous system (PNS). Sleep is essential for all non-vital processes the body will not be prioritizing during a day of constant stress. Start with putting your phone away an hour before going to bed to improve your sleep hygiene.
Exercise you enjoy. While intensive exercise can activate the SNS, exercise practices such as light cardio, yoga, and Pilates can decrease SNS activity and help us activate our parasympathetic nervous system. The most important part? Make it something you enjoy and look forward to doing rather than something to check off of your to do list.
Take the extra 5 minutes to meditate, commit to supporting a better night's sleep, and listen to your body next time it’s telling you it’s time to slow down. The benefits can be profound!