Introduction
In today's fast-paced world, finding moments of calm and relaxation is essential for maintaining our overall health. The key to achieving this is by balancing the nervous system and supporting your parasympathetic nervous system—often called the "rest and digest" system.
The parasympathetic nervous system is a branch of the autonomic nervous system that, along with the sympathetic nervous system, plays a pivotal role in keeping your vital organ systems functioning.
Among its many functions, the parasympathetic nervous system helps your body buffer stress, promoting relaxation and healing.
It is the counterbalance to the sympathetic nervous system—the yin to its yang.
While stress is essential for survival, constant stress is dangerous! The two branches of the autonomic nervous system must work together in harmony for us to function optimally. Both systems are essential, but overactivation of either one can have consequences, especially over the long term.
Nowadays, any of us live in a state of constant stress. The constant bombardment of work, noise, light, technology, social media (the list is endless!) keeps our sympathetic nervous system activated almost continuously. What should be a very normal and short-term "fight, flight, or freeze" response to a stressor turns into a constant state of being.
Over time, this can lead to issues such as anxiety, insomnia, digestive problems, mood changes, and a weakened immune system. Real-life examples include the busy professional who struggles to unwind after work or the student who finds it hard to focus due to constant worry. We've all been there, right? In the long term, both scenarios can lead to burnout and/or illness.
Unfortunately, these scenarios are all too common today and are impacting our health. Effective stress management strategies are essential to combat the cumulative and chronic implications of living in a stressed-out state.
Effective Strategies to Activate Your Parasympathetic Nervous System
One key to stress management is better activation of the parasympathetic nervous system—allowing you to “de-stress” and find a better balance. A major player in the parasympathetic nervous system is the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve stretches from the brainstem all the way down to the abdomen, acting as a nerve “highway,” ferrying vital information from the brain to our internal organs like the gut, liver, heart, and lungs—and back! It’s essential for regulating various bodily functions, including heart rate, digestion, and mood regulation.
When discussing the functionality of the vagus nerve, we often refer to “vagal tone.” Think of this as a stress-o-meter—assessing how well we respond to and handle stressors. When vagal tone dips, it can signal a struggle to adapt, making it harder for us to shift into a relaxed (parasympathetic) state. By improving vagal tone, we can enhance our ability to shift between sympathetic (stressed out) and parasympathetic (relaxed and calm) states.
Let’s look at a few ways you can improve your vagal nerve tone:
1. Exercise: Regular physical activity helps balance the nervous system, reducing stress hormones and enhancing overall well-being. It also promotes the production of serotonin, dopamine, and myokines, which have further positive effects on our mental and physical well-being. Regular exercise will help you combat stress over time, so build a routine you can stick to and enjoy. In moments when you feel particularly stressed or overwhelmed, activities like running, walking with the dog, swimming, hitting the gym—or any physical activity—can help shift your mood and physiology, bringing you back to a calm and centred space. Yoga, in particular, boosts mood and lowers anxiety while activating the parasympathetic nervous system. The slow, deep breathing associated with yoga activates pressure receptors in the throat, which improves vagal nerve tone.
2. Box Breathing: This simple yet powerful technique involves inhaling for four seconds, holding the breath for four seconds, exhaling for four seconds, and holding again for four seconds. It can significantly reduce stress and promote relaxation.
Check this for a tutorial on how to do box breathing effectively. Working box breathing into a daily practice is great for preventive stress management, but you can also use it in the moment to bring yourself back to a state of calm when feeling overwhelmed.
3. Quality Sleep: Good sleep hygiene is vital for nervous system health. Aim for 7-9 hours of restful sleep each night. Women often need even more! Avoid stimulating activities (TV, late-night exercise, screen time) and build a nighttime ritual that helps you wind down before bed so that you can get quality sleep. Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, and make sure your sleeping environment is cool, dark, and quiet.
4. Nutrient-Rich Diet: Consuming a diet rich in protein, fruits & vegetables, and healthy fats supports brain health and nervous system function. Aim for a quality, whole foods diet and reduce processed foods. Consume adequate amounts of choline and sufficient quality sodium to support vagus nerve functioning. Studies have shown that an inadequate salt intake in healthy individuals negatively impacts vagal tone. Sea salt and Himalayan salt are two sources of quality salt.
5. Connection with Nature: Spending time outdoors has been shown to reduce stress and improve nervous system functioning through many mechanisms. Exposure to sunlight helps stimulate hormone activity which activates your vagus nerve.
Light exposure also helps regulate circadian rhythms, improving sleep quality. Spending time in nature is known to create a sense of awe within us. Experiencing awe changes our physiology and stimulates vagus nerve activity.
6. Meditation or Mindfulness: Developing a meditation or mindfulness practice can do wonders for vagal nerve tone. Just a few minutes a day can help buffer stress and improve your resilience to the stressors we encounter every day. We really like Headspace for an accessible mindfulness meditation practice.
How Chiropractic Care Helps with Parasympathetic Nervous System Regulation
As you may know, the nervous system controls and coordinates everything in your body! That's why, as chiropractors, we focus on nervous system and spinal health. Your spine houses the nervous system and supports its proper functioning, so by specifically adjusting the spine, we can make meaningful changes to support and improve nervous system activity—especially the parasympathetic nervous system!
Here's how chiropractic care can make a difference:
- Removing Interference: Stress can accumulate in our system, especially in the spine. This accumulation of stress—be it physical, emotional, or chemical—can cause interference in our nervous system. Spinal adjustments remove any interference, allowing your body to function optimally, making it more resilient and adaptable to stress.
- Improved Vagal Tone: Chiropractic care can specifically address the autonomic nervous system and stimulate the vagus nerve. This has immediate benefits (you leave after your adjustment feeling much more relaxed) and long-term benefits (your overall resilience to stress is improved, and the negative effects of chronic stress are reduced).
- Lifestyle Support: As part of their care plans, chiropractors often incorporate lifestyle advice, including exercise and nutrition tips. Having a supportive healthcare practitioner who can help guide you on your journey can accelerate your healing.
At Elevate Chiropractic, we are committed to helping you achieve optimal health by addressing the root causes of stress and imbalance. Our tailored plans will give you the support needed to address your specific health concerns—especially around stress management. We work with you to find what works best in your unique case so you can sustainably elevate your health.
In short, if you're struggling with chronic stress or any related health issues, your nervous system may be the cause. Our team is here to support you on your journey to elevated health.
Ready to activate your parasympathetic nervous system and improve your overall health?
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