Safety vs Stress Signals: A Nervous System Reset

For the longest time, I believed well being was about doing extra. Extra dietary supplements, extra lab exams, extra exercises, and extra routines. I saved spreadsheets and detailed checklists of every little thing I used to be attempting to do for my well being. I assumed if I simply discovered the suitable mixture and toughed it out lengthy sufficient, I’d lastly really feel wonderful.

However what truly modified every little thing for me wasn’t one other protocol. It was a easy psychological reframe that shifted how I take into consideration well being, therapeutic, and life typically. It was the thought of specializing in sending security indicators to my physique, as an alternative of attempting to drive it into submission.

This mindset shift reworked the best way I eat, transfer, relaxation, and even assume. It helped me transfer out of a spot of continual low-level stress and right into a state the place therapeutic truly turned doable. For those who really feel caught in a rut like I used to be, however can’t appear to pinpoint why, then learn on!

Understanding the Nervous System

First, let’s check out the nervous system. Our nervous system operates in two predominant modes: sympathetic and parasympathetic. The sympathetic nervous system is liable for the struggle, flight, or freeze response. Our physique prompts this response when it senses hazard or a risk. On the flip aspect, the parasympathetic system is liable for relaxation, digestion, and therapeutic.

Because of trendy life, many people spend the vast majority of our lives caught in sympathetic mode. Even when we don’t really feel mentally pressured, our our bodies may nonetheless be receiving indicators that we’re not secure.

I spent over a decade in that place. I didn’t perceive that my fixed doing, even the “wholesome” stuff, was preserving me caught and my physique nonetheless didn’t really feel secure sufficient to shift into therapeutic mode. That’s the place the idea of security indicators versus stress indicators is available in.

What Are Security and Stress Alerts?

Stress indicators are issues that inform our our bodies to remain on alert. These could be apparent psychological stressors like arguments or deadlines, but in addition extra delicate issues. Below-eating, over-exercising, poor sleep, loneliness, detrimental self-talk, and even publicity to blue mild at night time ship stress indicators to our nervous system. 

Security indicators, then again, are cues that inform the physique it’s okay to relaxation and restore. These embrace issues like nourishing meals, deep sleep, human connection, hydration, daylight, mild motion, and type self-talk.

After we concentrate on sending extra security indicators, the nervous system can lastly loosen up. And as soon as it does, so many issues begin to enhance, like our vitality, digestion, temper, hormones, and even weight.

Rebuilding Security By way of Vitamin

One of the highly effective security indicators we will ship to our physique is thru meals. For a very long time, I used to be under-eating, particularly after I was attempting to heal my thyroid and drop a few pounds on the similar time. I didn’t consider it as a stressor as a result of I wasn’t (often) skipping meals, however I wasn’t consuming sufficient of what my physique wanted. 

After we don’t eat sufficient, our physique will get the message that meals is scarce. It perceives this as a risk and raises stress hormones, like cortisol. So as an alternative of therapeutic and repairing, our nervous system is on excessive alert. Overeating additionally places stress on the physique, particularly if we’re overeating high-calorie, low-nutrient, processed meals.  

The shift occurred after I began consuming sufficient, particularly specializing in protein, micronutrients, and minerals. I started to prioritize my first meal of the day, ensuring it was full of vitamins and protein, earlier than I reached for any caffeine. I additionally stopped consuming late at night time, giving my physique time to digest earlier than mattress.

As an alternative of approaching meals from a mindset of restriction or management, I began asking myself, How can I nourish my physique right this moment? That shift alone introduced noticeable enhancements in my vitality, temper, and sleep.

Sleep as a Security Sign

Everyone knows sleep is essential, however I didn’t notice how a lot my nervous system was affected by inconsistent or inadequate sleep. As a mother to fairly just a few youngsters, I haven’t at all times been capable of get a full 8 hours!

Even skipping one hour of sleep may cause cortisol to spike and have an effect on blood sugar and insulin. And relating to mind fog, some specialists have in contrast only one night time of six hours of sleep to being mildly intoxicated.

Making sleep a precedence, particularly with an earlier bedtime and constant wake-up time, made an enormous distinction for me. I observed enhancements in my coronary heart price variability, resting coronary heart price, and general sense of calm. This may be tough to do for mothers, however the concept is to make sleep a precedence. For me this meant no extra cleansing the kitchen late at night time or shopping social media after the children went to mattress!

Creating a peaceful sleep surroundings helped too. I turned my bed room right into a sleep oasis and saved it darkish and funky with as little noise as doable. I diminished blue mild publicity within the night and located that my physique began to naturally unwind and fall into deeper sleep.

Gentle and Circadian Rhythms

Whereas I keep away from blue mild at night time, it’s your pal in the course of the daytime. Pure mild is without doubt one of the strongest however neglected instruments for supporting the nervous system.

Getting daylight within the morning helps set the physique’s inner clock and helps melatonin manufacturing at night time for higher sleep. Getting daylight in the course of the day boosts mitochondrial well being, improves nutrient absorption, and helps hormone steadiness. I attempt to get not less than 10 minutes of morning daylight inside half-hour of waking, usually barefoot so I additionally get grounding advantages. Then I’ll take just a few quick walks with my weighted vest or sit on a lounge chair to absorb the afternoon solar. 

In distinction, blue mild publicity at night time tells the physique it’s daytime, which may disrupt sleep and trigger stress. I began utilizing amber and purple lighting within the evenings and sporting blue mild blocking glasses when wanted. I additionally switched to utilizing heat mild sources after sundown from lamps. These lamps are on a timer so I don’t even have to consider switching them on when the solar units. 

Easy shifts in mild publicity assist my physique really feel extra in tune with its pure rhythms. Plus, it diminished the fixed background stress I didn’t even know was there.

Hydration and Mineral Stability

Dehydration is one other widespread however usually ignored stress sign. After we’re even barely dehydrated, our blood thickens, our vitality drops, and our physique perceives that one thing is mistaken.

However hydration isn’t nearly consuming water. Our our bodies want minerals, like magnesium, potassium, and sodium to ensure that water to really be absorbed and used successfully. I began consuming mineral water within the morning, usually exterior within the solar. I additionally concentrate on staying hydrated between meals in order that I’m not diluting my abdomen acid wanted for digestion. 

Not solely does it assist assist my nervous system, however I discover extra vitality after I hydrate with loads of minerals. 

Motion That Feels Supportive

Getting sufficient water is essential, however so is getting sufficient motion. Train can both be a security sign or a stress sign, relying on what our physique wants at a given time.

Once I was deeply pressured, intense exercises made issues worse. My physique craved mild actions, like strolling, swimming, or stretching. Over time, as my nervous system stabilized, I slowly reintroduced power coaching and resistance workout routines. Now you’ll discover me doing sprints on the monitor subject. 

My mindset has modified so I see motion as one other approach to assist my physique, not punish it. I purpose for normal walks, mobility work, and body-friendly methods of shifting all through the day. There’s a time and a spot for extra intense train, however it may be an excessive amount of after we’re in nervous system overload. 

Environmental and Emotional Alerts

Even when we’re consuming effectively and sleeping sufficient, our surroundings nonetheless sends indicators to our nervous system. Artificial fragrances, harsh cleansing merchandise, artificial clothes, and even muddle can all act as delicate stressors.

Our interior dialogue issues too. The best way we converse to ourselves, whether or not with criticism or compassion, has a direct impression on how secure our nervous system feels. I observed that I used to be saying issues like “my physique is attacking itself.” 

Once I observed detrimental ideas, I requested, Would I say this to my baby or my finest pal? If not, it didn’t belong in my interior world both. As an alternative, I shifted my mindset to say one thing like, “My physique is therapeutic.” These shifts helped me create extra security from inside.

Connection, Pleasure, and the Delicate Alerts

Human connection is one other deeply highly effective security sign. Eye contact, laughter, contact, and presence all inform our our bodies we’re secure and supported.

Pleasure and discovering happiness in even the little issues in life are essential right here too. Issues like singing, dancing, heat baths, buzzing, stretching, and even simply watching the sundown are all methods to nurture the nervous system. The vagus nerve, which performs an enormous function in parasympathetic activation, responds to those small, joyful acts.

I additionally started to consider how my residence surroundings may really feel extra supportive. I swapped harsh lights for mild ones, eliminated artificial fragrances, and made my bed room a comfortable house that actually felt secure. 

Last Ideas on Security Alerts

An important factor I’ve realized is that our our bodies are at all times on our aspect. They’re always working to guard us, even when it doesn’t really feel that method. After we study to speak with our physique as an alternative of attempting to repair or drive it, every little thing adjustments for the higher.

For those who’re simply beginning on this path, I might encourage you to decide on one small factor. Get morning daylight. Drink mineral-rich water. Go to mattress half-hour earlier. Eat a protein-rich breakfast. No matter feels manageable and type to your physique. 

It’s not about doing extra, however listening extra to what our physique is telling us.

What are some methods you assist your nervous system well being? Depart a remark and tell us!