Tend To Yourself Thursday with a Nervous System Reset {5/2}

Happy Tend to Yourself Thursday, a great day of the week to check-in and extend some care to yourself so you can live life feeling that much more connected, whole, and resourced.

This week, I invite you to try on a nervous system reset to promote balance and calm on a physiological level. Many mental, emotional, and physical health challenges like anxiety, stress disorders, depression, PTSD, digestive disorders, and chronic pain+illness may actually be signs of a nervous system stuck in a trauma response.

According to Polyvagal Theory, originated by Stephen Porges, PhD, a nervous system reset is a technique aimed at regulating the autonomic nervous system (ANS), specifically the vagus nerve, to restore a state of calm and safety. The theory suggests that the vagus nerve plays a crucial role in regulating the body’s response to stress and trauma, and promoting relaxation, social engagement, and emotional well-being.

Practices like deep breathing, mindfulness, and today’s vagus nerve reset can help reset the nervous system by activating the parasympathetic branch of the ANS, which promotes rest and relaxation, and down-regulating the sympathetic branch responsible for the fight/flight response.

We can apply techniques from Polyvagal Theory in psychotherapy sessions and our daily routines. The practice in the video below comes from the book Accessing The Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve by Stanley Rosenberg, PhD.

Click here to watch the video.

If you’d like further support with emotional health, stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, and navigating life transitions, my team of clinicians and I are here for you. Reach out.

Warmly,
Elana