How Do We Release Stress from the Body?

The autonomic nervous system has two parts - the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems.

When we feel threatened our body is flooded with hormones (cortisol & adrenaline), we can either fight-or-flight. This is called the Stress Response or FFR. In our modern society our body can’t distinguish between actual threat and ‘perceived’ danger. Meaning, the mere thought of a stressor (children’s tantrums, relationship strain, deadline, job interview, debt & bills) produces the same hormonal response. When we activate the Stress Response our digestion stops and the thinking part of brain shuts down. Physically it may show-up as nervous energy, rapid breathing, perspiration, butterflies in your stomach, throat may feel restrictive…shaking hands?

Chronic levels of stress and cortisol in our bodies is a recipe for adrenal fatigue. When adrenal stress hormones are always elevated, the performance of the brain and body steadily deteriorate (weakened immune system, disease, anxiety/depression, brain fog, sleep troubles and being emotional reactive (short fuse with children/partner) or even a reliance on caffeine/sugar or alcohol).

Meditation is the gateway to turning off the fight-or-flight response, reducing stress, anxiety and connecting to our body’s capacity for self-healing.  Zero. Nil. No healing can take place, for any person on any level, while they are in the fight-or-flight response. When we realise that most people are in the fight-or-flight response most of the time we understand how very important this subject really is.

We begin to live our daily lives consciously. We start to live in the present moment. With more gratitude and joy. We stop analysing the past and rehearsing a hypothetical future.

We’re mindful of how we communicate. Relationships improve, we become patient with our children, less judgmental. We have the capacity to handle adversity with grace.