7 Pathways of Rest
For most of us, our parasympathetic system is underactive while our sympathetic system is on the other end on overdrive. Supporting ourselves through our physical body and its interconnected systems impact our mental and emotional awareness, and vice versa. ICYMI, I covered the science of these competing systems in this week’s Monday blog.
The following list is especially handy when you notice yourself spiralling or as a loving pre-bedtime addition to get a better night’s sleep. They’re simple actions you can do essentially anywhere and anytime: all in supporting your parasympathetic system. This list is not extensive and should be taken in your own personal discretion and full safety. Be aware there should be no sense of pain or threat at any point.
Start as gradually as you need: take 5 min. every day in the next week to embody one item on the list at a time or run through the full list at a time. Adapt and expand them, they’re yours.
Mindfulness
Contrary to the media-dictated conception of sitting silently on a pillow with your eyes closed, mindfulness is “the basic human ability to be fully present and to be aware of where we are and what we are doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what is going on around us” (mindful.org). It also takes place as exploring the process of paying attention to the shapes and textures of your surroundings, using all your senses. This means momentarily switching your train(s) of thought to idle. You may choose to be newly aware of how things look, sound, feel, and taste to you- tuning into the experience of perceiving your present moment. Mindfulness is always accessible, silently sitting on a pillow or not.
The next level of mindfulness is equally powerful: consider giving yourself emotional rest. For some of us, we don’t give ourselves enough radical self-compassion. The energy in this form of rest involves us choosing acceptance and non-judgmental awareness in the face of our whole selves, big feels, shadows and all. More on this another time but reach out to me anytime if you want to chat about it.
Breath
Breath is so powerful when we’re feeling low-energy or anxious. Did you know that the heart is so intelligent it beats faster on inhalations to optimize oxygen intake? Beautiful- but it feels far from helpful if we’re preoccupied by our stress. After all, we can’t be anxious and relaxed at the same time. By exhaling slowly, the heart rate slows again for us. Most people are familiar with ‘box’ breathing, breathing on a count of 4 for each of the inhalations and exhalations. To connect through to your nervous system and quite literally get a wash of calm in the bloodstream, let your next breath go little bit slower with ‘belly-full’ (diaphragm) breathing. Be gentle, stay mindful.
Note: if feeling light-headed, take a moment and let your body get back to its normal rhythm before continuing.
Grounding
Grounding refers to the awareness and anchoring in the physical body and of reality. We tap into it most while we’re doing physical activity because our focus and mindfulness are placed on motor skills, coordination and our respective surrounding(s).
For those of us attending a Zoom meeting on video or next to our partner on the couch, you can stay exactly where you are and still get grounded. Body scanning is really soothing and helps focus your mind; try consciously relaxing your body through a top-down or outside-in scan.
Vu
“When in doubt, vu it out…!” — Dr. Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing®)
You read that right, yes, it rhymes with moo. Through the Lab of Meditation’s formidable leader and delicious human, Hiro, I was initially introduced to this exercise by my coach and dear friend, Urszula. And it literally changed my life. (I was doing inner work on responding to big emotions in the moment, instead of being overwhelmed by reactive flight response.) The vagus nerve I mentioned in Monday’s blog loves when you give it TLC! More specifically, it digs exhalations and vibrationsss. Simply say ‘vu’ while exhaling. It’ll sound like, “voooooo”. This may remind some us with the unifying and warm quality of ‘om’s in yoga class, or other spiritual practices.
In the middle of a difficult conversation or a heated argument with your self-isolation COVID-19 cohabitant? Take another moment: ‘vu’ can be inaudible with a slight pursing of the lips while slowly breathing it out in silence. This alternative will be more socially appropriate for some situations. ‘Vu’ is a great way to engage in our self-regulation.
Visualization
This may be a way to lead yourself into the above if you’re experiencing difficulty getting grounded or feeling present. Whether it’s 30 seconds or 30 minutes, imagine as simply or creatively as you have capacity for.
Maybe you drop your awareness down through your body and drain the tension on the way down, or maybe you imagine pouring soft, honey-colored relaxation gold into the container of your body until you fill up every corner and curve to the top of your head. I’m extra with my visualizations because well, I’m detail-oriented and live the creative life.
Move
Energy transfers: different types of movement facilitate different moods and energy-levels so don’t forget to choose your own adventure. Though we may feel confined, little lazy or even antsy and restless, a small pebble creates far-reaching ripples. More specifically, we can choose neurophysiologically-informed movements:
walk, inside or outside. Boost your body’s lymphatic system function (removing the toxins, waste and other unwanted materials) which depends largely on large muscle activity for circulation. That’s why sometimes vegging out all Sunday on the couch doesn’t end up feeling as relaxing as we thought it would. And surprise, why sleep ≠ rest. Signs of lymph congestion can include lethargy, headaches, brain fog, soreness, skin issues, inconsistent digestion, bloating, pain/stiffness across the shoulders and back, and more. Pretty important.
keep it simple and synchronize a big movement with your breath: sweep your arms up and above your head when you inhale, sweep them down the way they came on the exhale. Don’t have to sit and would love a full body movement? Get in your squats.
7. Lay
If #1-6 feel too much like items toppling your To Do list, just get on your back, lie down. This is a fast way, a literal cue, for turning the parasympathetic mode on. Just like when we lie down in bed to sleep.
Let gravity help you release any tension in your body and let the surface you’re lying down on support you. Extra sweetness: elevate your legs to facilitate release for low back tension/strain/pain while streamlining blood flow back to your heart for renewal. You might recognize this as legs up the wall or up a chair. If it’s time to bed, get a pillow under your legs for a more cozy setup.
Questions about this list or looking for variations?
