bloating, stressed? Do this!

Having come from a past of depression, I do get bouts of anxiety every now and then…BUT I no longer allow for it to get a hold of me and my day.

I nip it in the butt almost every tine with my morning ritual. The 45 min ritual involves a series of breath and movement techniques that get me out of sympathetic dominance.

Sympathetic dominance equals..

  • Elevated heart rate and blood pressure

  • Poor digestion and bloating

  • Light and poor sleep

  • Irritable moods, agitation

  • Constant worry or panic

  • Feeling tired yet wired

On the flip side there is the parasympathetic nervous system which contrasts the above by..

  • Lowering your heart rate and blood pressure

  • Improving digestion and reducing bloating

  • Increasing sleep depth and improving sleep cycles

  • Balancing mental and emotional states

  • Helping you recover better

Both play a part in your daily life but the key is to find balance between the two.

Vagus to the rescue..

The vagus nerve (also known as the wandering nerve) is termed so because it originates from the brain stem. It spreads its nerve fibers to the throat and down the body..connecting the brain to the tongue, vocal chords, lung, heart..stomach, intestines to glands that influence digestion, metabolism and so much more.

Activating the vagus nerve will help get you out of the ‘fight or flight’ response while balancing your mental, emotional and physiological state.

So how?

“Just breathe!” as it’s always repeated.

For a start, nasal breathe.

Slow and deep breathing through the nose activates the vagus nerve which then triggers your parasympathetic nervous system.

Here’s a practice that you can try (which I do in daily when I face life’s pickles). The key to relaxation is in the exhalation!

Pop your headphones on..close your eyes..

Let me know in the comments how you go!

Live free,

Luke

Luke Tan5 Comments