Let’s Get Physical
— the distancing and COVID-19-curve-flattening kind, of course.
When it comes to rest, you’re sleeping and you’re relaxing. What more is there?
For one, that it doesn’t feel ‘enough’ and you’re still waking up tired. To enhance our restedness, it helps to understand the science of the bodies we live in.
The science of rest occurs at the cellular level, our physiological magic that runs the body’s essential functions without our conscious input. It enables us instead, to read this post and understand the colors and shapes that are these words on a screen all the while we form our opinions, get distracted by our phone notifications and resume while sipping our tea (or wine, depending what time zone you’re in). It’s so magical that in our modern existence it’s practically unseen and unacknowledged in our day-to-day. We often take it for granted, until crisis reminds us, or unless we lack the privilege to access resources that enable it.
Typically, we rely on experts such as medical professionals or health practitioners to help us when something isn’t doing what we want it to do. I don’t know about you, but like burnout (I've had enough of those, thanks), I’d rather avoid that crash and burn. To be clear here: it’s a blessing I don’t take for granted to be able to receive help from my healers. It is paramount and can be so impactful- I'm solely referring to preventative holistic wellbeing that is available to us through awareness and agency.
While every body is different, we all have an autonomic nervous system that ensures we are processing, nourished, detoxing, repairing and restoring. All without a single slice of conscious thought. Excuse me while I thank my brilliant body for enabling me to live through this life. Give yourself a hug too, you deserve one.
The more we understand our unique bodies in any given time and how to fully support ourselves, the more we get access to desirable outcomes. A common reminder within my healthcare, bodywork, healing and spiritual circles is that our bodies hold so much of the knowledge we often seek. What would it be like to work with your body? During my years as a personal trainer, mind-body connection was what equipped every single one of my clients to reach their goals, no matter the nature (from strength training, functional movement, weight loss and tone, to post-operative rehabilitation). What’s transformative is that for many of us, it’s through our bodies that we connect to the mind.
Here’s another frame from a personal training lens: our fitness is comprised of roughly 20% of what we do in training, actively at the gym. In contrast, 80% is nutrition quality and wellbeing (i.e. stress management, healing and rest.) This attributes to both how we look and feel, inside and out.
Our nervous system impacts how we move through the world; it is continuously receiving and sending out information. Our autonomic nervous system operates from the beginning of our life through to our last dying day. It's comprises of the:
Sympathetic Nervous System: responsible for our biological equilibrium (homeostasis) as well as our fight-or-flight response. The general public’s awareness of this fight-or-flight response has been increasing as mental health becomes less stigmatized and more prioritized across different communities. When our bodies are overtired and/or this system is overworked, we will experience a series of messages until it’s so overwhelming we shutdown. Hi, burnout! It can feel like teleportation after the anxiety and depression symptoms, brain fog, irritability and low moods.
Parasympathetic Nervous System: runs the whole show processing what’s in our body detoxing, and repairing/restoring on the cellular level while we rest. We need this system the most when the sympathetic system is on overdrive. It's a saving grace to the damages resulting in prolonged stress and physical exertion. This is the same system we activate in restorative practices like yoga, meditation and breathwork and then in treatments such as reiki, restorative yoga and massage.
Enteric Nervous System: is connected to our guts (gastrointestinal tract), literally. Ever heard of the second brain, or listened to your gut? This is that special connection. It's also relies on innervation to the vagus nerve and prevertebral ganglia in our central nervous system. The vagus nerve helps us slow our heart rate and blood pressure under stress; studies link exhausted vagus nerves to conditions such as obesity, anxiety, mood disorders, gastrointestinal diseases, chronic inflammation, and more (Agusti, 2018). It’s also gaining widespread acknowledgement for the general public because of its sensitivity.
Health is wealth, amirite? Let’s give your heart a hug now: take a breath in and a slow, deep breath out. (The vagus nerve wraps around our hearts, embracing it on exhalations. No coincidence you feel just a little bit... nicer? It is natural to possibly feel anxious or not so nice. If this is the case for you, gently take a few more big breaths and gradually practice mindful breathing in your day.)
No wonder when any of these intricately tuned systems are ignored or imbalanced, our conscious (and unconscious) minds are distracted by discomfort, pain and/or agitation… Everything is connected: we are living organisms that require rest as much as food and social connection.
I’m here to ask and help you answer this question should you be interested:
Which of your systems need to be given rest?
Which non-physical systems in your life also need rest right now?
Agusti, A. (2018, March 16) Retrieved from National Center for Biotechnology Information.
