A hot topic that you may encounter on the wellness side of the internet is the nervous system. This is great news for us chiropractors because we have been focusing on the nervous system since 1895. As an expert, Dr. Taylor thought it was about time we weighed in on the issue.
What is the Nervous System?
We will do our best to keep this high level and save you from the headache of a very detailed neuroanatomy lesson. Essentially, our nervous system monitors and controls everything about our body. The nervous system and the endocrine system function as our operating systems. They work together to maintain homeostasis or levels of normalcy within the body.
The nervous system, again high level, can be broken into two parts, the autonomic nervous system and the somatic nervous system. You can think of the somatic nervous system as the portion of our nervous system that we can access and control. For example, if you want to jump to reach something on a higher shelf, you can first think about the action and then execute the task. The autonomic system is often remembered to be our automatic nervous system. This means it is functioning without our conscious control. An example of this is your heart rate. Without having to think about it, your body automatically increases or reduces your heart rate based on demand. This is happening continuously behind the scenes, all thanks to your autonomic nervous system.
I would assume at this point, you are all still with me. Stay with me as I take it one step further, I believe in you! Your autonomic (automatic) nervous system is made up of two divisions. The first is your parasympathetic division and the second is your sympathetic division. The parasympathetic division is often defined as the portion of the nervous system that stimulates “rest and digest”. The sympathetic division is often defined as the portion of the nervous system that stimulates “fight or flight”.
As I alluded to above, there is a lot of to this very complex system, but those are the basics and should get us through the rest of this piece. I have included an image that summarizes the control of the nervous system in general as well as an image that specifically depicts the individual functions of the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions. I find that these images clearly demonstrate the vast control (read importance) of the nervous system and help answer questions for those who desire a deeper understanding. If you ever want to nerd out about the nervous system, please do not hesitate to ask. This is just some of the material I get to teach each semester 😉
Why Does the Nervous System Need to be Regulated:
Well, the short answer is because it is often deregulated.
The long answer is that we are chronically stressed. We are working hard to meet the demands of our careers and of our families. We are more accessible than ever via our devices and social media. All while we are navigating financial hurdles, global issues, and trying to have a bit of fun too. No one was joking when they said life was hard!
Our society has become one that idealizes “busy-ness”, that prioritizes work, that brags about overly full schedules. We have created a culture where the more you are doing and the more stressed you are, that somehow translates to being more successful or valuable.
On the surface, you can see how this is a stressful way to live, but what you may not realize is how detrimental living in a chronic state of stress is to your health. Stress is not inherently bad, in fact it is protective in nature. However, it becomes problematic when we are chronically stressed. In the above section I used the word “homeostasis”, which essentially means balance. Our bodies function best when we have balance. This is true for stress too. So, where there is stress, there needs to be periods without stress too. This is what health experts have come to realize, and so have our wellness influencers on the internet, which is why nervous system regulation has become such a hot topic.
Is Stress Harmful?
Not necessarily. Stress in the short term is actually a good thing. Stress causes adaptation. Adaptation is equivalent to growth and survival. However, chronic stress is problematic, especially for our health.
It is important to note that your body does not know the difference between stressors. Your body responds the same way if you are being chased by a bear, have lost your job, or are in the middle of a hard workout - Increased heart rate, rapid shallow breathing, lack of hunger, increased blood flow to your muscles, dilated pupils, trouble sleeping, etc.
This reaction is due to the activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Because society and our lifestyles have us constantly under stress, our sympathetic nervous system is activated way more often than our parasympathetic nervous system. Again, balance is key for our health and longevity. Our sympathetic system and parasympathetic system should be balanced in their activation frequency. After reading this far, think about yourself, do you believe your sympathetic nervous system and your parasympathetic nervous system are in balance with one another?
If the answer was no, it may be time to focus on balancing your nervous system. Keep reading to learn different approaches to balancing your nervous system.
How Does One Regulate Their Nervous System?
First off, when we say “regulate”, the goal is typically to actually down-regulate your nervous system. Switching from a sympathetic state to a parasympathetic state. The more often we do this, the more time we are spending in a parasympathetic state. Therefore, we will start to have more balance between the two branches of the autonomic nervous system which ultimately is the goal.
There are many ways to regulate/down-regulate your nervous system. A few examples are:
Chiropractic adjustments
Cold plunges
Breathwork
Acupuncture
Massage Therapy
Meditation
Time under a weighted blanket
Progressive muscle relaxation
Spending time in nature
Taking a bath
Every person, every nervous system is different. It may take some experimenting to figure out what works well for you and your nervous system. Also, know that what works one day may not work the next. That is why it is important to have a few tools in your tool belt. Pick something from this list and give it a try within the next week!
Of course, if you are interested in an adjustment or a massage to help you down-regulate you can book your next appointment here!
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