The Parasympathetic Nervous System vs the Sympathetic Nervous System
Stress is not the problem.
Stress is not synonymous with the sympathetic nervous system (though we sometimes interchange the two).
It’s the decrease in parasympathetic activity that is the problem.
The low tone of the parasympathetic system lends one to be more vulnerable to stress.
Stress is an unchecked or exhausted sympathetic response. Stress is perceived by what we feel when the sympathetic system is unchecked by the parasympathetic system.
With a healthy parasympathetic system the body is able monitor the information from inside and outside and adapt as needed.
So we don’t need to turn off the sympathetic response- it is hard wired, as an whole organism approach to mobilize and survive. You want that happening.
What we need is to improve the robustness of the parasympathetic nervous system. It monitors and adjusts specific organs, specific needs, it is in charge of the sympathetic breaks.
Some signs of low parasympathetic activity:
• allergies, sinusitis, rhinitis
• frequent sighs
• fatigue
• tinnitus
• difficulty controlling eye movements
• vertigo
• difficulties coordinating talking and breathing
With low parasympathetic activity, sympathetic activity is unchecked and there for “hyperactive”-
• edema
• insomnia
• hyper vigilance
• elevated resting HR
• constipation
• cold hands and feet
• exaggerated emotions
• excessive muscle tension / tightness
• teeth clenching
• shallow breathing
With prolonged imbalance the sympathetic response gets exhausted and we can experience burnout, which come with a different set of symptoms.
However the fix is still the same. Introduce more robustness of our parasympathetic system. How do we do that?
• interoceptive work
• social engagement
• breath work- nasal breathing and longer exhales
• feeling gratitude and being present
These are things that really stimulate rest. Rest is not just doing nothing or sleeping. It can be built to maximize our nervous system balance.
It can be specific and targeted just like performance. Do you know how to balance your nervous system?
