Before we can enter the space of your mind, it is essential to work on regulating your nervous system. Our body is equipped with a system, commonly referred to as fight or flight, to help us manage threat and push through when we are in danger. When our fight or flight response engages, our brain signals for the release of over 30 different chemicals into our system to help prepare us for the “threat” that has presented itself. Some of those chemicals include: adrenaline, cortisol, norepinephrine, dopamine, and many other hormones to prepare us to fight, flight, or freeze. All of those chemicals have to go somewhere and if they are not released physically, they will impact the body in many different ways. This can include shaking or trembling, feeling cold, stomach upset, sweating, rapid heart beat, tunnel vision, dizziness, and many other physical sensations. Left unchecked, this system response can result in a full blown panic attack, leading to feelings of dread or immediate fear of dying or something bad happening in the moment.
This response can also occur as a freeze response. Deer are classic examples of how a freeze response is very appropriate in the wild, as when a deer is still and quiet in the woods, they are protected by brush and forest and hard to see. However, when this freeze response occurs in the middle of the road as a car is approaching, it can have a tragic outcome. Our past defensive systems, have served us well in scary and dangerous situations. However, in the present they may be doing us a disservice in our daily lives, such as when or freezing up or blanking prior to an important presentation or test.
When we have these chemicals in our system at a high enough level we start to feel this low level “hum” internally. Even when we are still or sitting, we feel the urge to move to do one more task. The first step to disengaging this system is slow down our heart rate and breathing. Deep breathing begins to create a regulating response to our body, decreasing our blood pressure, increasing endorphins and other calming chemicals to help our sympathetic nervous system slow down. Moving our body is a good next step, as moving also helps utilize the chemicals that were initially released when we were in the fight or flight state. Moving can look like going for a walk, simple yoga stretches or exercises, rocking, dancing, or any other activity that engages our body to release. Once our system returns to a baseline state, then we can begin to explore our thoughts and their role in this process.
