Our nervous system has 3 different modes of operation. The Parasympathetic Nervous System response which is often referred to as the fight or flight mode, the Sympathetic Nervous System response which is often referred to as the rest and digest mode, and the Freeze response.
The freeze response happens when your body experiences overwhelm. It then shuts down to go into an energy conservation state. This is the freeze response. A person can feel like they are in a daze, have brain fog, are challenged to find the energy to get things done, struggling with focu to be productive, and seem emotionally numb. The tendency in this mode is to reach out for caffeine, food, exercise, or anything to motivate oneself out of this mode.
If this model sounds familiar to you, then know that self-care will activate your parasympathetic nervous system and get you back into a rest & digest mode. Things like:
- Reading
- Meditating
- Breathing exercises
- Soaking in a hot tub bath
- Sleeping
- And a slew of other mind-body practices
If you find your bounce back and forth between your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system and stay chronically stressed, maybe it’s time to reach out and learn more about stress relievers and how best to manage your stress response. Reach out and schedule a talk with me and we’ll do an assessment to see how stressed you are, and brainstorm all the ways you can self-care.
