If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it 1000 times – stress kills. How can you defend against something that is so difficult to define and identify? The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a complex terrain of our body’s inner galaxy, a mysterious realm of perception, reaction, effects, and patterns. It’s time to dive deep into how low-level chronic stress can send shockwaves through our bodies, reshaping our health in strange and unexpected ways.
Unraveling the Autonomic Nervous System
Picture this anatomical scenario: you’ve begun a journey from the mass of gray and white matter that comprises your brain and you’re cruising along the highway of your spinal cord, and suddenly, you encounter a network of interconnected nerves that govern every involuntary function and action of your body— from your heartbeat, to arousal, to your digestion, even your breathing. Welcome to the autonomic nervous system, the maestro conductor orchestrating the symphony of your inner balance.
The ANS is divided into two main branches here: the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). Think of them as the yin and yang of your body’s fine tuning. The SNS revs up your engines, preparing you for action in times of stress or danger, while the PNS serves as the restorer of cosmic calm, promoting rest, relaxation, healing and rejuvenation.
What happens when your psychological balance is disrupted? Enter chronic stress, the silent supernova lurking in the shadows of our daily lives. Whether it’s the pressures of work (your insensitive manager, immature coworker, or the quotas you’re not meeting), personal relationships (your needy, clingy untrusting partner, hormonal preteen children, or your codependent covert narcissistic aging parent), topped off with a sprinkling of the constant buzz of modern society (politics, weather, fashion trends you could do without), chronic stress can send shockwaves through our bodies, disrupting the delicate balance of our autonomic nervous system.
Meanwhile, the PNS struggles to regain control, like a tug-of-war between opposing forces (I give you people’s exhibit A of The War Within). As a result, your body becomes trapped in a state of perpetual tension, unable to find refuge in equanimity. Over time, this chronic activation of the stress response can take a toll on your health, increasing your risk of everything from heart disease to immune dysfunction. It is paramount for us to realize that the perception of attack began with our own thoughts committing the initial attack by perceiving an event (person, action, behavior) with which we did not agree.
The Planetary Game of Chronic Stress
When we think thoughts that elicit a negatively charged emotion we are activating the autonomic nervous system’s sympathetic branch. This results in the physiological state known as “fight-or-flight”, although there is a third option and that is “hide”. When the sympathetic branch of the ANS dominates our physiology (functioning), it reduces digestive, immune, and hormone (both endocrine and reproductive) function. Voltage (electrical energy) and blood flow are diverted to the large muscle groups for involvement in a situation which the mind deems threatening to its existence.
Impaired digestive function results in reduced nutrient processing and absorption which in turn yields inadequate micro- and macronutrient availability for optimal cell function, synthesis, and tissue regeneration. Impaired immune function lowers the body’s defenses, and can result in hypervigilance once the adequate resources (both energetic and raw materials) are made available to the system. Reduced hormone function limits the synthesis and secretion of chemical messengers which are paramount to metabolic processes.
As your mind attempts to navigate the turbulent waters of constantly judging observed events you may not agree with or want in your life experience repeatedly and/or for extended periods along the axis of time (chronic stress), the SNS kicks into overdrive, flooding your system with the stress hormones we mentioned above, adrenaline and cortisol. As you launch a psychic type of attack against what you are observing, your heart races, your muscles tense, and your breath quickens—all in preparation for a battle that never comes.
Another way to think of stress is the perception of attack or the preparation to defend OR attack. These processes begin in the mind, with our thoughts! Releasing thought patterns that no longer serve us brings about a sense of relief and lightening up of the burden of discernment. Stress relief is a result of a mindset shift. FIRST we decide we want something different, THEN the actions in form project the frequency shift of the mind.
Know what else activates the sympathetic branch? Decision-making and analytical thinking. Deciding which hotel to stay at for the family vacation; what days are you going to book your flights to save the most amount of money; are you finally booking Business Class on Air France direct from Raleigh to Paris? Yes, even doing a math problem can put your nervous system in fight-or-flight. When we believe a specific measurement or number on the scale will bring about wellness and health and longevity, we are activating fight-or-flight because we are setting ourselves up to be tested (preparing to defend) and judged (attacked).
Navigating the Currents
So, what can we do to navigate the autonomic waves and safeguard our vessels (our bodies) against the ravages of chronic stress? It all starts with mindfulness—the practice of tuning into the present moment with openness and awareness. Accepting the potential perspective of non-duality. Letting go of the idea that there is a right and wrong way of doing things, that there are wicked and/or righteous people walking among us, that we have to prove ourselves in order to be in included, accepted, forgiven, or loved.
Everything is connected.
“Holding on” psychologically and emotionally results in acute or systemic inflammation, malnutrition, and adverse metabolic states. It just feels… heavy!
Resolve to let go of thoughts that trigger negative emotions: guilt, shame, judgment, sadness, doubt, worry, fear (of loss, of missing out, of not being enough, of, of, of, OF!)
Let go. Lighten up. All puns intended.
Remember, you are the captain of your own vessel, steering through the vast expanse of this illusion with courage and resilience. By honoring the delicate dance of the autonomic nervous system and embracing the cosmic rhythms of this earthly performance you can transmute vibrations of raging storms of chronic stress into calm, peaceful waters with grace and ease.
One with you always and in all ways,
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare professional for personalized guidance and care.