Finding calm in under 5 minutes: a nervous system reset
We often talk about stress, but do we really understand what’s happening in the body ?
To keep it simple, you have two main modes in your nervous system:
Fight or Flight (The Sympathetic System): Your survival mode. Great for running away from a tiger.
Rest and Digest (The Parasympathetic System): Your healing mode. Great for sleeping, digesting, and recovering.
Here is the plot twist: You can’t be in both state at the same time. It’s either fight or flight or rest and digest. And your brain, made for survival, doesn’t differentiate between a real danger (a tiger chasing you) and modern stress (a passive-aggressive email, financial worry, or traffic).
Your body releases the same stress hormones for a deadline as it would for a life-or-death situation. You end up stuck in "survival mode" while sitting at your desk. I see that every day in practice, as a chiropractor. Sometimes I want to yell to my patient : “wake up you are hurting yourself by not addressing your stress levels ”. But I’ll write a blog post instead 🙃
Getting adjusted is like hitting the "reset" button on your fuse box. In fact, 37% of my patients report feeling significantly less stressed after just their second revision (based on my clinic surveys pre and post care plan).
But while I work on your spine to remove interference, you have a role to play at home.
Here are my favorite, evidence-based tips to signal safety to your brain.
1. The Long Exhale (Breathing)
When you inhale, your heart speeds up. When you exhale, it slows down. To calm down, we need to focus on the exhale.
Try this: Inhale for 4 seconds, and exhale for 6 seconds. Do this 10 times at any moment of your day.
Pro tip: Use your diaphragm (your belly should move, not your shoulders!). If you are my patient, I probably told you this 3 times already.
2. Legs Up the Wall 🦵
This is the ultimate "lazy" hack. By elevating your legs, you help blood flow back to the heart, which activates baroreceptors (pressure sensors) that tell your brain to lower your blood pressure and relax.
How: Lie on the floor, bum close to the wall, and legs straight up. Stay for 5 minutes.
3. The Panoramic Gaze (soft eyes) 👀
Stress gives us "tunnel vision" (literally, it’s a survival mechanism). By consciously widening your field of view, you hack your brain into feeling safe.
How: Look straight ahead, but try to see the walls or objects on the far left and far right of your room without moving your eyeballs. Soften your gaze.
4. The Ear Massage 👂
Believe it or not, a branch of the Vagus Nerve (the commander of relaxation) surfaces right at your upper neck. That’s why I pay particular attention to this area when I adjust you.
How: Gently massage the hollow part of your ear and pull your earlobes down and back gently. It sounds strange, but it is incredibly soothing.
5. Intuitive Stretching 🐈
Close your eyes and ask your body: Where do I feel tight? What would feel food right now?
How: Move as you feel. Roll your neck, open your chest, or curl into a ball. Move how your body wants to move, not how it thinks it should look.
6. The "Let it gooo” 🎶
Sometimes, the nervous system is charged with energy that needs to exit.
How: Sing loudly in the shower (vibrations stimulate the vagus nerve!), shake your whole body for 30 seconds, or do a quick sprint, dance to your favorite song.
7. Lay down a on Pilates ball 🏐
This one is especially great for when your organs feel tight, maybe digestion is an issue for you and you have your periods.
How : Get a Pilates ball that you inflate a little. Lay on it and breath deeply. Here is myYoutube videofor a clear demo.
My challenge for you: You don't have to do them all. Pick just ONE every day for the next week.
Your nervous system (and your back) will thank you.
Take care,
Léa
