Four Ways to Improve the Mind-Body Connection for Optimal Health

Are you someone who has experienced prolonged stress or trauma? If so, you may find yourself in a state of nervous system dysregulation which can present as fight, flight, free, fawn (people pleasing) or black and white thinking patterns. When we find ourselves in a trauma response, our mind and body oftentimes struggle to reconnect after experiencing a trigger.

Here are a few tips to help reconnect the mind and body and re-regulate the nervous system:

Practice stress management techniques.

Stress management techniques can include clinical hypnosis, psychotherapy, exercise, journaling, participating in activities that allow you to move your body or engage in a creative outlet.  

Calm your mind and body and prioritize vagal toning.

Incorporate relaxation methods into your daily life like meditation or deep breathing, cleaning your living space, setting boundaries with work, friends and family.

Prioritize vagal toning. Increasing vagal tone, activates the rest and digest (parasympathetic) part of the nervous system. Higher vagal tone allows the nervous system to re-regulate faster after a trigger. Extending out breath longer than in breath, singing, humming, and gargling water can activate muscles which in turn stimulate the vagus nerve.

Identify your goals and values.

Oftentimes when we have experienced prolonged stress and/or trauma, it can take time to heal. Part of that healing process can oftentimes include leaning into our own goals and values. It is important to work towards setting our life up in a way that is in alignment with our needs in any given season.

Prioritize your health.

Nutrition, movement, interpersonal relationships, work-life balance, personal beliefs and hobbies all add up to our overall health. If an area of your life is no longer working for you, now is the time to examine your goals and values and align your choices with your goals.