Relax
Besides for eating a healthy diet, staying hydrated and getting the proper mineral and vitamins, there is another important factor which contributes to your health. Without this, you can have the best exercise regimen and eating habits, but you still won’t regain complete health without it. What I am referring to is balancing your nervous system. You have a sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. They need to stay balanced to maintain good health.
The sympathetic nervous system causes the fight or flight response. Your pupils dilate and your heart races when this is triggered. When the sympathetic system is turned on, many bodily functions are put on the backburner so to speak and will not function optimally. Digestion, healing and other functions will slow down, when it is triggered.
Many people are constantly activating their sympathetic nervous system, always aroused and stressed. Emotional, physical and mental stress all can activate and put us into sympathetic mode. Sometimes listening to the news can trigger this response. Traffic jams and alarm clocks can activate it.
You need to practice relaxation techniques to get control over your body’s response to stressful situations. The goal is to be in parasympathetic mode. Our heart rate should be slow. Our breathing should be slow. In such a state, the body can heal itself and digest food properly.
Light therapy is an interesting way to balance the nervous system. Dr Tina Karu has done lots of work in this field. Blue light, in the right spectrum can be very calming. Gazing at the blue sky is relaxing. Also, looking at the blue water by the beach is deeply relaxing. Blue seems to quickly balance our autonomic nervous system.
Another tactic is breathing. Slow breathing. Conscious breathing. Breathing can relax the nervous system.
Music is another means of relaxing. Slow and calm music can easily relax your nervous system.
These are simple tricks but powerful. The next time someone cuts you off on the road, don’t get angry. Not for him, but for yourself. The damage you inflict on yourself by getting angry and all stressed about it, is just not worth it. Don’t hurt yourself just to spite him.
The sympathetic nervous system causes the fight or flight response. Your pupils dilate and your heart races when this is triggered. When the sympathetic system is turned on, many bodily functions are put on the backburner so to speak and will not function optimally. Digestion, healing and other functions will slow down, when it is triggered.
Many people are constantly activating their sympathetic nervous system, always aroused and stressed. Emotional, physical and mental stress all can activate and put us into sympathetic mode. Sometimes listening to the news can trigger this response. Traffic jams and alarm clocks can activate it.
You need to practice relaxation techniques to get control over your body’s response to stressful situations. The goal is to be in parasympathetic mode. Our heart rate should be slow. Our breathing should be slow. In such a state, the body can heal itself and digest food properly.
Light therapy is an interesting way to balance the nervous system. Dr Tina Karu has done lots of work in this field. Blue light, in the right spectrum can be very calming. Gazing at the blue sky is relaxing. Also, looking at the blue water by the beach is deeply relaxing. Blue seems to quickly balance our autonomic nervous system.
Another tactic is breathing. Slow breathing. Conscious breathing. Breathing can relax the nervous system.
Music is another means of relaxing. Slow and calm music can easily relax your nervous system.
These are simple tricks but powerful. The next time someone cuts you off on the road, don’t get angry. Not for him, but for yourself. The damage you inflict on yourself by getting angry and all stressed about it, is just not worth it. Don’t hurt yourself just to spite him.
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