Combating the stress response

 Most of us have heard of the fight or flight response, a physiological response that allows our body to escape danger in a life threatening situation. We also experience this in intense moments of fear, specific phobias, or crisis moments we refer to as stress. Our nervous system response is the same if we imagine ourselves being in a actual life threatening situation or not. This response was meant for means of survival, yet we find this happens in day to day life resulting in increased blood pressure, higher heart rate, and a release of many chemicals in our blood stream that stress the body. It happens automatically, and we don't really notice. This is why stress causes the body problems.

  What happens in our brains when this hits? Think of some one conducting a symphony, responsible for all the outcome. The part of the brain that is like the conductor of the stress response symphony is the amygdala, and it sends the signal to the hypothalamus to kick start the party. The hypothalamus will release hormones, like notes of a scary piece of music we hear in movies when some bad shit is about to go down. This is when we feel the effects. This symphony is sponsored by the sympathetic nervous system. Then we pause are remember it's just a movie.

  So in our everyday life we need to stop and remember most of the thoughts that cause of stress, are things that aren't actually happening.
The important part of this, is the pause. We turn to another piece of music like switching a station. The next symphony piece is sponsored by the parasympathetic nervous system, and the conductor of this is the vagus nerve. Releasing a calming effect.

   Both of these symphonies can be turned on, or off. When we get lost in thoughts of worry we are essentially fantasizing and turning on the fear response. Hearing the notes that strike a sense of doom, like repeating a negative thought pattern. We may even hear this in the company of negative people, it may seem to be the soundtrack of your work day, and we become so used to it we don't hear it only feel it.

    Learning to turn on the calming effects of the parasympathetic symphony conducted by the vagus nerve can most easily be accessed by slow deep breathing. This conductor is also responsible for the mind body connection, and can not only calm you down, but strengthen your immune system as well many other beneficial physiological benefits. Meditation is another way to hear and feel this. Yawning, and immersion of your face in cold water are some fast ways to tap into this as well.

  The most effective way to fast results, is the practice the pause. Notice how your body is responding. Then realize you have a choice to change the vibration of sound and feel the stress, or the calming.