Trail Guide to Resting
Summary
The invention of indoor light and later technology has ruptured our natural circadian rhythms. Now, even when the sun goes down we can easily turn on the lights and stay up all night. Between the distractions and ruminating thoughts, sometimes it can feel impossible to fall asleep.
Summary
Stephen Porges created Polyvagal Theory in the early 1990s. His work suggests that trauma affects the normal functioning of the autonomic nervous system by creating maladaptive physiological and behavioral responses that are meant to keep the body regulated but might cause unintended consequences.
Polyvagal theory emphasizes “retuning” the nervous system to promote safety and homeostasis by providing safety cues, enabling a shift from threat states to calm and social engagement states.
By engaging in physical, bodily practices, trauma is moved through the body to create new patterns of emotional processing. This approach is particularly relevant for addressing trauma symptoms somatically (meaning through the body as opposed to focusing on the story behind the trauma) by focusing on physiological responses rather than just psychological aspects.
Stimulate the Vagus Nerve
The vagus nerve is a fundamental component of the parasympathetic nervous system, the part of the body that controls autonomic functions in the heart, lungs, and stomach — things we don’t think about, like our heart beating, breathing, and digesting food. By stimulating this nerve, we can communicate to the body that it is time to slow down and relax.
Note that the shift is subtle and might not be immediately noticeable but these practices can help you hone your attention and intuition.
Easy
Gargle Water: Gargling activates muscles in the back of your throat, which are connected to the vagus nerve. This repeated activation stimulates the nerve and can enhance parasympathetic activity, helping the body relax and reduce stress.
Hum or Sing: Humming or singing creates vibrations in the vocal cords, which indirectly stimulates the vagus nerve through its connection to the vocal cords and throat muscles. These vibrations help promote a calm and restorative state by engaging the parasympathetic system.
Ice Pack on Your Head: Applying cold to the forehead or the back of the neck can stimulate the vagus nerve by activating the body's dive reflex, which is linked to the vagus nerve. This triggers a slowing of the heart rate and promotes relaxation.
Push Against a Wall While Breathing Deeply: Pushing against a wall engages muscle groups in the upper body while deep breathing activates the diaphragm. The combination of muscle tension and breath control stimulates the vagus nerve, promoting parasympathetic activity and reducing stress responses.
Yawn: Yawning opens up the throat and stretches muscles around the jaw and neck, which engage the vagus nerve. This stretch promotes relaxation and is often a natural sign of the body shifting into a parasympathetic state.
Slowly Turn Your Head from Side to Side: Slowly moving the head stretches the muscles in the neck and upper spine, stimulating the vagus nerve's connection to the cervical region. This helps to trigger the calming effects of the parasympathetic system.
Slowly Shift Your Weight from Side to Side While Standing: Shifting your weight side to side stimulates the body’s proprioception and balance system, engaging vagus nerve pathways as it communicates relaxation signals through the body. This movement, combined with the concept of "owl eyes" (using peripheral vision), relaxes the nervous system by signaling a state of awareness and safety.
Butterfly Taps: Gently tapping your chest or arms alternately stimulates the vagus nerve through rhythmic, bilateral stimulation. This technique can help calm the nervous system by activating the parasympathetic response and reducing anxiety.
Psychological Sigh: A psychological sigh is a deep inhale followed by a second inhale and a slow, extended exhale. This breath pattern stimulates the vagus nerve by activating the diaphragm and engaging the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps regulate stress and promote relaxation.
Magnesium: The soil that grows mass-produced crops often lacks important minerals — meaning we get less of them from our diet. Magnesium is crucial for adequate sleep and relaxation so adding a supplemental dose can be a great way to address insomnia with powders you can add to drinks or salts that you can add to baths.
Medium
Head Massage: Massaging the scalp activates nerve endings that connect to the cranial nerves, including the vagus nerve. The soothing pressure helps to promote relaxation and parasympathetic activation, reducing tension and promoting calmness.
Neck Massage: A neck massage stimulates the vagus nerve by directly engaging the muscles and tissues around the cervical spine, where the nerve runs. This physical stimulation helps to activate the vagus nerve, promoting relaxation and reducing stress-related tension in the body.
Give Yourself a Foot Massage: Foot massage stimulates pressure points in the feet, which are connected to the nervous system. The vagus nerve is influenced through the relaxation of these reflex points, helping to promote vagal tone and activate the body’s rest-and-digest response.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation: The core of this practice involves tensing each muscle group for about 5-10 seconds, then slowly releasing the tension. This contrast between tension and relaxation helps individuals become more aware of physical sensations associated with stress and relaxation.
Get comfortable: Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
Notice your breath: Take a few deep breaths to center yourself. Start to breathe deeper into your belly, letting it fill up like a balloon and fall empty with each exhale.
Pick a limb: Draw your attention to the furthest end of one extremity (for example, if you choose the leg, begin with the foot). Take a deep inhale, and tense all of those muscles. When you naturally exhale, release the tension. Move up to the next section of muscles and repeat (move to the calf, then the thigh, and finally the glutes).
Repeat the process with each limb until you fall asleep. Thats it!
Hard
Study: This work itself is not hard, but you can take it further by reading about the underlying scientific theory with one of the following texts:
Polyvagal Theory Explained, Irene Lyon
Have we Hijacked the Vagus Nerve?, Irene Lyon
The Body Keeps The Score, Bessel van der Kolk