Visit Vagus - Relieve Stress!

Have you ever been so frustrated you wanted to scream?

Ever had "Road Rage?"

How about that "Oh no! I'm late!" panic?

Or the, "Why did I just say that?" feeling?

Stress rears its ugly head in many forms, & we never really know when & how it will appear next. There's no use trying to stay free of stress - we can't live in a bubble. As much as we'd like to spend our days floating on a raft or relaxing on the beach, life happens & we react. And, when we do, our bodies naturally respond physically to the emotions we feel.

You've heard of the Fight or Flight response, of course, but have you really thought about it? Each time we emotionally react to a stressful situation, our bodies tense up & release cortisol so we can either fight or run from the imaginary (or real) threat to our safety. If we don't actually run or fight, that cortisol has no where to go, but our hearts still race, our blood pressure still rises, our digestive system slows down, our muscles tense.

For a long time, conventional wisdom has been that exercise was the best method to combat the everyday stressors we deal with by providing a release for the cortisol. While exercise has been shown to reduce stress for many, it may not be the cure-all that it has been thought to be in the stress management field after all.

After some study, neuroscientist Steven W. Porges, has suggested a method of stress relief you may not have heard of before...a smile with friends.

Dr. Porges believes that smiling & socialization works better than exercise to reduce stress because it activates the myelinated vagus nerve. And, according to Dr. Michael F. Roizen (You the Owner's Manual & RealAge.com fame) "What happens in Vagus doesn't stay in Vagus."

You see, the vagus nerve sends signals of calm & those signals effect a lot - it's actually called the "wandering nerve" because it wanders from the brain, through the chest & into the abdomen, touching a multitude of areas & organs. Doing activities like smiling & socializing with friends to stimulate the vagus nerve slows the heart rate & breathing, lowers blood pressure, & allows for smoother digestion. Your body is primed for optimal functioning, rather in its fight or flight mode where all oxygen & hormones are focused towards survival.

The key here is to find the right environment when you are feeling stressed. You want to be around people that are supportive & friendly - people with whom you feel safe. The only way the vagus nerve can fire is when we feel safe. Obviously, this isn't the perfect method for stress management in every situation, but it's definitely interesting & can't possibly hurt! If you want to try Dr. Porges' method, the next time you're feeling stressed:


1. scan your environment for *true* risks
2. adjust your thinking
3. smile with a friend







This week's challenge - Find a friend & Visit Vagus!

For Health & Wellness Coaching -
e-mail me at ggwellness@gmail.com

Have a great week!

Kim


More information about Dr. Porges' work can be found in this article at Psychology Today:

Mind Your Body: A Higher Road to Relaxation