It’s no secret that stress is the leading cause of the majority of our mental and physical health problems in Western society. Experiencing stress is part of being alive, it’s a natural response to a perceived danger. The problem arises when our nervous system gets stuck in stress mode, continuously flooding the body with stress hormones. Left to run rampant, stress starts holding us back from experiencing our full potential. If stress is left unmanaged for years it can eventually lead to mental and physical health problems, including anxiety, depression, heart disease, chronic fatigue, memory and concentration problems, even cancer and dementia. This is why stress is known as the “silent killer”.
The stress response is created by the sympathetic branch of the nervous system and is also known as the ‘fight or flight response’. The nervous system responds to a perceived threat and causes body to release the hormone cortisol, signalling to the body that it is in danger and getting it ready to fight or run. This system worked well for our ancestors who were faced with daily threats to their life while out hunting for food, but today our stress response gets triggered by the slightest event. We have created lives in which there is always something that triggers us. Our nervous systems have become hyper-vigilant because we never slow down: we work too much, we have too many responsibilities, we do too much, and we never take time for real rest. To make matters worse, most people are replaying past stressful events in their mind over and over, and each time those images are replayed in the mind the body returns to that moment as if it is living it all over it again. Your body does not know the difference between what is real and what is imagined. So even the memory of a stressful breakup will bring your body back to that moment and reproduce the same chemical response.
If you’re going to heal your body and your mind it’s imperative to address your nervous system health. It wasn’t until I adopted a daily breathwork practice, combined with changing my thoughts and adopting other healthy habits, that my life completely changed. I suffered from severe skin issues, anxiety, aches and pains all over my body, concentration problems, motivation problems, and so many other issues that went away when I learned to balance my nervous system. All it takes to start is ten minutes with yourself every day to breathe consciously, and as you develop a relationship with your nervous system you will begin to recognize that all the power to change your life lies within you.
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