Why Movement is the Solution
Stress can be our friend or our enemy. Our body’s Stress Cycle developed in primitive times and requires us to use our bodies to overcome ANY threat or challenge.
A complete stress cycle includes:
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Encounter a stressor
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Stress Responses Activate
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USING OUR BODY and the stress responses to overcome the challenge
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Stress Responses Deactivate
This process was easily completed in the days where our stressors were things like needing to run from a lion.
The problem is, this process in the nervous system has not evolved and caught up to modern day life. In modern times, the majority of our stressors don’t require us to use our bodies at all! Money, relationships, social dynamics, thoughts, people, jobs, devices, commutes, and so much more!
This creates an incomplete stress cycle where the stress that was activated never gets utilized and is not a part of overcoming the threat or challenge. This is what leads to chronic stored stress.
This stored stress disregulates your nervous system and is the reason why stress is the number one cause of so many health related conditions. Including the reason you can’t fall asleep at night, your lack of motivation, or chronic pains! Your body is stuck in the hyperactive and alert state from not having used the stress and transitioning to rest and recovery.
The bad news is, stressors aren't going away and can’t always be managed.
The good news is the stored stress in your body, causing health problems, can be managed!
We do this through somatic practices where you USE YOUR BODY to complete your stress cycles. From this point, you will not only feel less stressed, but you will have a much easier time falling asleep at night, feeling motivated, and releasing tension causing pain.
Complete Stress Cycle
Beginning
You encounter a stressor
Your sympathetic nervous system activates. This system is basically designed to trigger your physiological super powers so you can handle whatever threat or challenge you are facing. It means well but also recruits power from other needed processes. That's why its important not to get stuck in these symptoms.
Increased Heart Rate | Increased Breathing | High Blood Pressure | Slowed Digestion | Tunnel Vision | Inhibits Reproductive Functions | Muscle Activation | Immunity Boosts | Sensativity Boosts | Adrenaline | Cortisol | Focus
Middle
You use your body and the stress responses to overcome the stressor
In this stage, we are designed to use our bodies and the powers it's just activated to overcome the stressors we face.
The problem is, many modern day stressors do not require any action with our bodies or these powers. So we must give ourselves an action to simulate this and use the stress before it gets stuck in the body.
This can look like highly active movement practices or even subtle somatic techniques and breathwork.
End
You rest and recover
Lastly, your parasympathetic nervous system receives the signal to activate and put the breaks on your super powers. This way the body can reenter homeostasis and begin its rest and recovery processes.
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