Nervous System Basics

Our autonomic nervous system is intricately designed to protect us from harm, as well as completing all of those automatic processes that we don’t need to even think about, such as digesting. Once you understand the basics, you will find that you not only have a deeper appreciation for your body, but you can also understand your unique responses to threats and improve your stress response. Your nervous system serves as a smoke detector, and you can learn how it responds to different triggers. Consider this your introduction to Polyvagal Theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges.

The autonomic nervous system has two branches: the parasympathetic and the sympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for calming and resting your body. But it also takes over when you experience extreme signals of danger, resulting in a shut down response. The sympathetic nervous system is the go button, activating our fight or flight response. So you can think of 3 separate states of your nervous system: Hyperarousal (fight or flight), Hypoarousal (shut down), and that calm middle ground.

Here are some things to remember when your nervous system is in that activated Fight/Flight Zone:

• There are parts of your brain that are offline and not communicating. So do not expect to be making the most rational decisions during this time.

• Digestion is affected. You may feel stomach upset or like your food is sitting in your stomach. Your body is likely not digesting properly, and may not be getting adequate nutrients from your food.

• Your heart rate may be fast and may feel like it’s beating out of your chest.

• You may be more sensitive to sound or bright light.

• Your nervous system is constantly scanning for danger and may not take in all of your environment.

• Many other possible symptoms.

Keep this in mind when you are in that Parasympathetic, Rest and Digest state:

• Your body systems are working as they are designed.

• Your body is able to digest properly.

• You are able to socially connect with others and have an awareness of others around you.

• You can feel rejuvenated and rebuild your energy to deal with future triggers.

• You have access to all parts of your brain and can think rationally.

And some key points to remember when you are in a Shut down response:

• Many systems in your body are in shut down and not communicating. You may not be able to sense hunger, pain, awareness of the outside world, etc.

• In many ways, this is your body preparing for death, so this response can feel very disproportionate to the trigger at times. But it is your brain’s way of protecting you from what it perceives as imminent danger.

• You may experience a decrease in heart rate and blood pressure.

• You likely will not be able to think clearly, and may not even be able to answer simple questions.

• You may feel exhausted.

Now that you have an overview of these states of your nervous system, you can identify what each of these feels like to you. I encourage you to work with a mental health professional to understand how these affect you. And when you have an understanding of your body’s natural responses, you may be able to understand how to move through these nervous system states seamlessly without getting stuck in one state.

For more information, I recommend Deb Dana’s website: https://www.rhythmofregulation.com/resources.

This post is intended for informational purposes and should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult a medical or mental health professional to support your journey.