The Importance of “Being Chill”

Posted on by Jory Meyer

It’s a typical day and you’re running late. Your toddler is man-handling your last nerve by making seriously low-brow fart jokes with his brother instead of putting his shoes on when you’ve only asked him a THOUSAND TIMES. You manage to stuff everyone and all their gear into the vehicle destined for daycare while simultaneously pleading with the Norse gods to convince your son to please “for-the-love-of-all-that-is-holy” stuff these apple slices into your face so that you’re not hungry later. You’re starting to sweat a little while making a mental note to, if you should ever find the time (bahahahaha…yeah right), write a hand written thank-you note to the makers of dry shampoo because it’s day 4 of not washing your hair and you’re making that ‘ish work.

You finally get to work. There are deadlines. There are requests (oh! so many requests!). There are responsibilities that need your attention right now and preferably five minutes ago.

Eventually, the workday is done. It’s chasing to and from extra curricular activities, watching horrible things go on in the world via the news, paying bills, etc. etc.

It’s called stress. And it’s a reality of our modern life.

But what’s really going on here?

Your nervous system is essentially divided into two parts. The Central nervous system (your brain and spinal cord) and the Peripheral nervous system (everything else). The peripheral nervous system is further divided into two parts: Somatic (responsible for voluntary muscle control) and Autonomic (responsible for involuntary body functions). The autonomic nervous system is in charge of those things we don’t have to consciously think about…like breathing, heart rate, metabolism, etc. It itself has two divisions: Sympathetic Nervous System and the Parasympathetic Nervous System (you still with me here?)

The Sympathetic Nervous system:

Consider this the gas pedal. When we’re faced with a stressful or emergency situation (say, for example, you’re being chased by a bear), this division of the system “up regulates” meaning: the gas pedal gets pressed and we get into “fight or flight mode.” This division is all about survival. It’s what causes the sequence of events on a cellular level so that we can outrun the bear to the safety of our cave. Our body releases chemicals that temporarily improve performance. Our heart rate goes up, blood pressure rises, breathing rate increases, and digestion slows – all this to allow greater blood flow to our muscles, heart, and brain so we can think and act quickly in the face of immediate or acute stress (aka: that pesty bear trying to eat us for lunch).

The Parasympathetic Nervous System:

Consider this the little buddy swinging in a hammock encouraging us to slow down and put our feet up, complete with hawaiian shirt unbuttoned to navel. This division helps us relax and recover from the stressful situation (aka: the bear is no longer chasing us and we’re warm and safe in our cave). We are in “rest and digest” mode when this division is at work.

With the evolution of modern life, stress can seem more constant, relentless even. We are experiencing less acute bouts of stress (aka: less being chased by wild animals while foraging for berries) and more constant, chronic stressors of our modern life. (ie: mortgage payments, hectic schedules, demanding jobs, technology allowing depressing world news to bombard us ad nauseam, etc.) This modern lifestyle, physiologically speaking, is more damaging to our health. Our bodies are being continually exposed to these stress hormones and our relaxation response is less active, rendering our bodies essentially unable to stop the effects of stress.

Negative health outcomes with chronic stress:

  • cardiac issues (high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, heart attack)
  • musculoskeletal issues (chronic muscle tension, muscle imbalance)
  • gut issues (irritable bowel, constipation, diarrhea)
  • weakened immune system
  • endocrine issues (type II diabetes, sexual dysfunction, decreased longevity)
  • poor sleep
  • mental health issues (anxiety, depression)

But there’s good news! 

We can actually train ourselves to slow down the gas pedal on (down-regulate) the sympathetic nervous system while simultaneously activating the parasympathetic side of things. In other words, the ability to “down regulate” ourselves is an acquired capacity. Much like getting a muscle stronger, we just need to work at it.

Things like focused breathing, meditation, yoga, tai chi are all ways in which we can encourage spending time in parasympathetic mode. Now, I’m not asking you to start eating granola out of your backpack while hugging a tree. I’m asking you to think about incorporating a technique or two that works for you to improve your stress that is backed by some actual science.

Over the years of our practices, it’s impossible for us as physiotherapists to deny the fact that people are coming in more stressed out than ever; and oftentimes, those with chronic pain and tension have this neurolgoical component at least to some extent. So, in the interest of working ourselves out of a job (Ah…sweet, sweet retirement), you should probably do some homework to down regulate your nervous system.

Simple ways to get our relaxation on (aka: move ourselves into parasympathetic mode):

1) 4462 Breath

Sit or lay comfortably.

Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4 – breathing deep into your belly and diaphragm attempting to expand your rib cage front to back and side to side.

Hold that breath for a count of 4.

Exhale through your mouth for a count of 6.

Hold an empty breath for a count of 2.

Repeat as many times as you need.

2) Mindful Meditation 

Sit or lay quietly and focus on your breath. Pay attention to your thoughts as they pass through your mind – don’t judge them or become involved with them – simply observe them and then re-focus on your breath. Don’t try to control your breath – just let it happen naturally.

Start for a couple minutes a day and slowly work up to a 20 min session.

3) Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Sit or lay comfortably.

Start by tightening the muscles in your face (eyes squeezed shut, wrinkle forehead, clench jaw) for a count of 5.

Then, relax your face and breathe deeply as you feel the tension release from your muscles.

Move through the rest of your body in the same way (hands, arms, stomach, buttocks, thighs, feet) repeating the tension-relaxation sequence for each group, one region at a time.

If any area continues to feel tense, repeat the sequence a few more times.

Need more guidance?

Some people prefer to have some assistance in guiding them through a breathing or meditative technique. If that’s you, visit this website: http://mindfulmike.ca/about/ for a variety of helpful options.

It takes some persistence, but the science shows us that a sustained practice of even just a few minutes a day using these types of techniques can have a wonderful impact on our health. It’s time well spent!

Good Luck!

-Jodi

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