5 Steps to Increase Nervous System Resiliency
In measuring the resilience of one’s nervous system, NEUROFIT looks at the overall balance and flexibility of the nervous system and how easily it can shift between nervous system states.
Chronic stress and dysregulation can interfere with all aspects of our life — our work, relationships, health and wellness — and will almost always eventuate to burnout if not treated. This is why building resistance to prolonged stress responses is so important.
How stress manifests in the body
Chronic stress has numerous effects on the body and everyone can experience these negative effects differently. Here are just some of the ways stress may manifest:
Sleep issues - trouble falling asleep or waking up frequently throughout the night.
Brain fog - the inability to concentrate even on simple tasks.
Digestive issues - bloating, IBS, indigestion.
Emotional sensitivity - frequent mood swings and poor mood regulation.
Numbness or dissociation - feeling physically and emotionally numb or detached from the body.
Hypervigilance - constantly needing to assess the environment around you and feeling as though the world is an unsafe place.
Feeling irritable or “on edge” - unable to relax or calm your mind and body.
Luckily, there are ways to keep stress at bay and build greater resilience to these responses within your nervous system. Implementing simple habits, routines, and balance techniques can significantly reduce the buildup of stress in the nervous system and create more peace of mind and body.
five steps to begin increasing nervous system resiliency right away:
1.) Be Mindful of Your Environment
Your environment includes your home, your workplace, your city, and all the places you visit frequently. Without a feeling of safety in these spaces, your nervous system will be in a constant state of “high alert” which can lead to dysregulation. Begin by noticing when and where you feel the most activated and make the necessary adjustments to promote peace and calm as soon as possible.
2.) Set Healthy Boundaries
Just like where you spend your time matters, who you spend your time with matters greatly to your nervous system. Be conscious of spending time with people who bring a sense of calm and relaxation within your body and steer clear of anyone who is using up too much of your energy and resources.
It’s important to determine and communicate limits around what you can take on for others and what energy you must conserve for yourself.
3.) Schedule Regular Downtime
Your nervous system requires routine rest and recovery time in order to function properly. It can be easy to overlook this need when life gets busy so be sure schedule it into your week and again, set boundaries with others when needed.
When your body is at rest, your heart rate is slow and steady, blood pressure and blood sugar levels stabilize, your digestive system is working optimally and your immune system is stronger.
4.) don’t forget to have some fun
It’s also important to incorporate regular social activity and play into your week. The Play State has a number of benefits such as enhanced mood, dopamine release, and increased production of antibodies which enhances our body’s immune response and overall function.
5.) Release Stress Daily
Perhaps the most important step in increasing nervous system resilience is taking time to release stress daily. Rather than bottling up our emotions and storing any unnecessary resentment or negative feelings, we can choose to release that energy through simple somatic exercises and techniques.
Utilizing a somatic balance exercise (like the ones found inside the NEUROFIT App), a deep breathing practice, or yoga can greatly improve your mood and sense of well-being and reduce the effects of stress on your body.
NEUROFIT app users report 54% less stress in just one week of using the Balance exercises for 3-5 minutes each day. That’s a pretty significant improvement!
Conclusion
Although it may seem subtle at first, by implementing these five steps into your life, you will begin to notice a difference in how you are responding to stress and how much easier you managing stress.
Taking time to reflect on all areas of your life and identifying where you feel most overwhelmed or overextended can help increase your nervous system resilience even further.
For more clarity and insight we recommend using the CLEAR feature within the NEUROFIT App.