RESET YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM IN 5 MINUTES
Life is chaotic! We wake up with the best intentions to meditate, shower, and start the day calm, but so often we’re woken up early by a child demanding breakfast, they spill our coffee, and we find ourselves in a flurry and overwhelmed by 7am.
All of these “disruptions” can cause strain on our nervous system, and overtime if we don’t learn practices to calm and regulate ourselves, we can find ourselves stuck in chronic overwhelm or stress.
But here is something so beautiful:
The body is always looking to heal. It is always looking for homeostasis
(because it is so wise!) and with a few simple body-based practices, you can teach your body to calm down in the midst of danger.
Author Linda Graham uses the term “Somatic intelligence” when she speaks about learning to regulate our own nervous system. Somatic Intelligence means understanding how your body responds to danger and using that knowledge to support your body as you go through life. Her book Resilience: Powerful Practices for Bouncing Back from Disappointment, Difficulty, and Even Disaster is a great resource on the nervous system.
Here are a few of our favorite — and super quick body practices to ground you and bring a reset to your nervous system.
LONG EXHALE BREATHING
Studies show that by breathing with a longer exhale than inhale can return the autonomic nervous system from an over-activated sympathetic state to a more balanced parasympathetic state. Try inhaling for 5 counts, then exhaling slowly for 9 counts. Repeat this for 3-5 minutes or until you notice a more calm state in your body.
VUUUUUU
One of my all-time favorite somatic practitioners Peter Levine teaches the simple practice of VUUUU and it is a quick and simple way to bring regulation to your system quickly.
Take a deep inhale
Connect to your belly
On your exhale, make the sound “VUUUUUUU” and let it come from the belly
You may feel silly, but we promise it’s wildly helpful!
ORIENT
Did you know that simply by tuning into what is present, you can use your five senses to help you regulate and ground yourself. Orienting is the simple practice of scanning your environment and noticing “what is”. We do this all of the time when we enter new surroundings, using our senses to ensure that there are no dangers or threats.
Notice 4 things that you see, becoming aware of their details.
Notice 3 things that you hear, becoming aware of any subtle sounds.
Notice 2 things that you smell, becoming aware of any lingering scents.
Notice 1 thing that you taste, becoming aware of the flavor within your mouth.
Take a deep breath, then let it all go. How do you feel?
