Balance Your Nervous System to Reach Your Health Potential in 2023

It’s easier than you think to restore your wellness potential and improve your quality of life this year – and it all starts with a balancing act.

If all of life is a balancing act, arguably one of the most important areas to maintain this balance exists inside each of us and has a direct effect on our overall health: your nervous system.

Your nervous system is responsible for regulating a wide range of bodily functions like sleep, heart rate, digestion and respiration which is why it plays such a critical role in your wellness potential.

The human body actually needs two major nervous systems to run essential functions. The first is the central nervous system, which consists mainly of the brain, spinal cord and the peripheral nervous system which has the nerves that carry commands from the brain. The second is the autonomic nervous system, which operates through parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems.

Why does this matter? Because achieving balance in the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems is vital for the health of the autonomic nervous system.

The sympathetic nervous system helps us respond to stress appropriately by creating the body’s response to external stressors: fight, flight or freeze. However, the parasympathetic nervous system activates at moments of rest and relaxation.

Throughout our day, we need to alternate between these states because overfiring either system can have negative results. The sympathetic nervous system is for survival, but the parasympathetic nervous system keeps us from burning out due to stress.

A failure to balance these can result in dysautonomia or autonomic nervous system dysfunction – which, in turn, can have a seriously negative affect on your health.

Tips to Keep Your Autonomic Nervous System in Check
The great thing about achieving balance with your autonomic nervous system is that the steps and methods are fun or relaxing. The hard part, as always, is just conditioning yourself to actually do them.

For example, walking in nature is one great option. Another is taking time away from your screens. Spend time playing with the dog, or start stretching or doing yoga – each is another tool to help your autonomic system.

Consider this list of easy-to-do options to keep your nervous system in a healthy state:
. Stress Management
One of the most significant ways to help balance your autonomic nervous system is to remove yourself from the situations that cause stress. If that means taking the personal time to make sure you give yourself space as needed, that’s a great start.

. Meditation
Meditation does not need to be hugely involved or rigorous practice. Of course, you can learn specific meditative arts, but sometimes just taking time to be alone and practice mindfulness is good enough. Meditation can be helpful, so don’t be afraid to try it.

. Breathing
Breathing exercises can have a profound effect on how we feel. Learning breathing exercises and strategies can give you a low-impact way of helping to manage your stress. We recommend breathing in for 5 seconds, holding that breath for 5 seconds and then exhaling for 5 seconds. Do this 5 times to trigger your parasympathetic side.
. Massage
Touch is vital to feeling whole, and massage can work wonders as a therapeutic practice. Even personal massagers and a massage chair visit can be an excellent service for your autonomic nervous system.

. Nutrition
What you eat can have a significant impact on how you feel. Diets high in salts and sugars can contribute to stress, so changing your diet to reduce those elements can help stress melt away. Need help with a nutrition plan?
. Exercise
For most people, a little exercise does the body a lot of good. Activity stress is a good sort of stress used to balance the autonomic nervous system. Doing low impact cardio is a great option – we also recommend personal training with the NEUBIE to get the same gains with less impact.
. Sleep
No surprise here – sometimes we just need a little more sleep. Go to bed earlier, take a nap or catch a little shut-eye during a break – it can do wonders! Sleep is a natural therapeutic process for the human body, so it makes sense that it can also help manage stress.

How Physical Therapy Can Fast-Track Your Results
Your physical therapist can play a significant role in helping you improve your health and wellness potential by leading you through a variety of different techniques and interventions that positively influence your nervous system.

Here are just some of the important benefits a therapist can provide:

. Combat Underlying Medical Conditions
Physical therapists are experts at identifying any underlying medical conditions that may contribute to ANS dysfunction, including hypertension, diabetes, sleep apnea and certain types of heart disease. For example, if you suffer from Long COVID symptoms, your ANS is likely in a sustained “fight or flight” mode and in desperate need of relief.

. Reduce Ongoing Stress and Anxiety
With a nation under siege with stress and anxiety, physical therapists can target a patient’s ANS function and reduce the stressors that lead to increased heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tension. With traditional techniques like deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and yoga, PTs help patients balance their ANS and return to “rest and relax” mode.

. Address Musculoskeletal Issues
Physical therapists also help patients manage their nervous system by addressing any musculoskeletal issues that contribute to ANS dysfunction. For example, if a patient has poor posture, it can lead to increased muscle tension and strain on the ANS. Physical therapists use technology, exercises and stretches to improve posture and reduce muscle tension.

. Provide Therapeutic Exercise Programs
PTs can design a therapeutic exercise program that is tailored to a patient’s specific needs and fitness level. Additionally, physical therapists can teach patients how to properly perform exercises and use proper form to avoid injury and maximize the benefits. Physical therapists can also use manual therapy techniques such as massage to balance their nervous system and reduce muscle tension, improve circulation and promote relaxation.

. Introduce a Healthier Lifestyle Approach
Lastly, physical therapists can be a great resource for educating patients about the importance of good sleep hygiene, eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight. All of these factors can have a major impact on ANS function, and physical therapists will work with patients to help them make lifestyle changes that reach their health potential in 2023.

The Role of Technology in Your Nervous System’s Health
State-of-the-art technology is now available and can play a big role in your nervous system’s health potential. Your local physical therapist has access to a number of programs and technologies that can improve the function of your autonomic nervous system. Some examples include:
1. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) monitoring: HRV therapy is a measure of the variability in time between heartbeats. It is an indicator of the balance of activity between the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the ANS. By measuring HRV, physical therapists can assess health functions and monitor any changes in response to exercise or relaxation techniques.

2. Biofeedback: Biofeedback is a technology that uses sensors to monitor processes such as heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tension. The data is then used to provide feedback that can help you learn to control these processes. For example, by monitoring HRV, biofeedback can help patients learn to improve their balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic activity.

3. Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES): Best performed with the NEUBIE, this is a technique that uses electrical impulses to stimulate the muscles. It can be used to improve the function of the ANS by identifying the underlying dysfunction and stimulating the muscles that can lead to more strength and a quicker recovery. It can also help improve blood pressure and heart rate variability as well.

4. Pulsed Electro-Magnetic Field Therapy: PEMF therapy is a type of treatment that uses electromagnetic fields to improve the body’s natural healing processes. The therapy involves exposing the body to electromagnetic fields at specific frequencies and intensities, which can stimulate cellular activity and promote healing in the affected area and balance within the ANS, ultimately alleviating pain, improving circulation and enhancing the healing of fractures and other injuries.

Physical therapists can assess your individual needs and determine which programs and physical therapy technologies may be most appropriate for you so they can design a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses underlying medical conditions or musculoskeletal issues, provides therapeutic exercise, implements manual therapy techniques and educates you about healthy lifestyle practices.

Ready to achieve your health and wellness goals in 2023?
Competitive Edge Performance Physical Therapy are visionaries and leaders in bringing new tech to PT professionals all over the country. For a limited time, we’re now offering free HRV screenings to measure your nervous system health and recovery capacity. Just mention this article! Book today by calling (813) 849-0150 or visiting us at 13817 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, FL 33635.

CEP
813-849-0150 | goceppro.com