It’s more common that you might think to feel emotionally unstable, especially during the pandemic we are currently living through. Emotional resiliency almost seems like something that is unattainable as we battle the nervousness and anxiety that COVID-19 has brought with it. The uncertainty of the situation alone is enough to skyrocket our emotions, not to mention the financial stress that many are having to deal with. While it’s only normal to experience stress occasionally, emotional resiliency is something that IS achievable–even during the most difficult of times. In fact, it’s during these times when it’s even more important to prioritize emotional wellness. With the right tools and the willingness to dedicate yourself to it, emotional resiliency is most certainly achievable. What is Emotional Resiliency?It may come as a surprise that emotional resiliency is actually a trait that you can develop. It allows you the ability to handle stress more easily as you learn to take it on in a calm and effective way. People who have emotional resiliency are able to adapt to the different situations thrown their way, without letting their emotions get out of control. Steps to Building Emotional ResiliencySince emotional resiliency is a trait that can be learned and developed over time, there are steps available to help you get there. Check out our six favorite ways to build emotional resiliency and maintain your emotional wellness during these uncertain times. Start every day with intentionThe very start of your day is the most important part as it sets the tone for the rest of your day. The way that you spend the very first hour of your day is crucial. It helps determine how the rest of the day will unfold. If you start your day by thinking about everything that you need to accomplish, or the projects that you need to complete for others, you’re less likely to have a handle on your emotions throughout the day. Taking a few minutes each morning to set your intentions and focus on yourself is a great way to better maintain emotional wellness. You can think about your challenges and let your feelings go from the day before. A clear slate makes for a better day all around. Practice self-awareness when it comes to your emotionsThe only person that has the ability to gain emotional resiliency is you. This is why it’s so important to practice self-awareness when it comes to your emotions. Check in with yourself regularly to gauge your emotions and feelings as you go about your day. Think about what problem-solving techniques you can use to do away with anxious feelings and negative emotions. When you can learn to recognize and identify your stress responses and emotional strains, you become more resilient through self-management. This is also helpful for catching negative emotions before they take over and lead you into a bad state of mind. Focus on the things you can control rather than those you can’tThere are many things out of your control. Especially during these uncertain times. This means that time and emotions are most often wasted worrying about the things out of your control. The things that you can control include your own actions, the work you produce, and how you contribute to others. You may feel the need to panic or worry about the current situation, but ultimately it is just one of those things you don’t have power over. Practice your resiliency by preparing yourself to have a handle on your emotions, no matter what is thrown your way. Developing structure and routines in your life are also great ways to keep your cool when it comes to more stressful situations. It is also beneficial to learn how to control yourself when pushed outside of your comfort zone. Learn all about your comfort zone here. Incorporate physical activity into your dayTake breaks to move your body. It is an important part of not only your physical health, but your emotional health as well. Physical activity releases hormones called endorphins which work to bring on positive feelings and relief from stress. Physical activity helps clear the mind and gain new perspective. Find the meaning in every situationThere is deeper meaning in just about every situation. The ability to tap in to this meaning however, relies on a person’s willingness to do so. The pandemic, for example, provides plenty of reason for negative emotions to arise. Your resiliency in this situation surfaces when you are able to find the deeper meaning in this otherwise negative situation. You might try to recognize the positive side to the pandemic through an increase in time for family and friends, or the ability to take up a hobby you’ve been meaning to. Use the tools available to you to become more resilientEmotional resiliency can be achieved through science! While this might sound too good to be true, it is a lot more achievable than you might think. The vagus nerve is the longest nerve of the autonomic nervous system (the system that regulates a variety of body processes that take place without conscious effort). When this nerve is stimulated, mood and stress levels, sleep focus and cognition, and athletic performance can all be effectively improved. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has been scientifically researched for decades for its power in improving emotional wellness. Electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve sends messages to the brain to generate calming sensations to the body. Xen by Nuevana is an innovative tool available to stimulate the vagus nerve. Xen Headphones connect to a handheld device that generates an electrical current, stimulating the vagus nerve and helping you to feel less anxious and more tranquil. You are better equipped to practice emotional resiliency when you are in this state. Then you can focus on taking steps towards building it. Become a Master of Emotional ResiliencyIf you’re ready to start on your journey towards achieving the ultimate emotional wellness with Xen by Neuvana, you can shop the entire Xen by Neuvana collection here. Looking to learn more? Take a look at our FAQ page where we cover what it feels like to use Xen headphones when to use Xen by Neuvana technology, and much more. If you enjoyed this post, we have three more for you that might enjoy: 10 Powerful Ways to Enhance Your Resilience 10 Hacks for Anxiety and Stress Relief Using Xen in Your Everyday Life from https://neuvanalife.com/6-ways-to-build-emotional-resiliency-in-uncertain-times/
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Hearing someone claim they’re ‘stressed out’ is about as common as hearing someone say ‘I’m tired’. We all feel stress from time to time, and some of us more than others. But what does it really mean to be stressed versus stressed out? And does the difference between the two matter? Let’s start by defining both ‘stressed’ and ‘stressed out’. Stressed vs. Stressed OutStress can be most simply defined as an individual’s response to the pressures and demands presented by their environment. This is also known as the ‘fight-or-flight’ response. Our bodies are designed to respond to stressful stimuli in this way. The stimulus can be a person, object, or even an event that feels threatening and results in the body switching into fight or flight mode The term ‘stressed out’ of course, relates to the concept of stress. But it’s defined as a time period where the stressful stimuli become overwhelming. Being “stressed” out is a result of a stressful situation (or combination of situations) that lasts for a longer period of time than one passing instance. It can be common for us to feel stressed out constantly. We might also be unaware of what’s causing that stress. How does stress manifest?Usually, stress manifests in one of three ways: Tame StressTame stress is the stress you don’t notice. It might be a result of small challenges in your day to day actions, such as getting out of bed or meeting new people. But remember, tame stress isn’t necessarily a negative thing. It can actually be healthy for us to take on tame stresses as they help prepare for larger challenges in the future. Ongoing adjustments and adaptations are good for the mind and body as we work to maintain balance. This balance or homeostasis is the result of hormones and mediators that are released in tame stressful situations. Tolerable StressYou likely know the feeling of the type of stress that’s uncomfortable, but still manageable. This is also known as tolerable stress. Tolerable stress takes place as a result of events like a shift in your role at work, your furnace breaking down, or making the move into a new home. While these are uncomfortable situations, they are manageable with the right resources and adjustments. You might notice the slight negative impact of tolerable stress on your mood or sleep, but you can use control to overcome the circumstances. Often, you can even grow and become better because of it. Toxic StressThe last kind of stress is toxic stress. While some level of tolerable and tame stress is actually useful, toxic stress is a lot more serious. Toxic stress takes place when there is no support or way to manage your stress. When the body is exposed to extreme stress for long periods of time without the opportunity, it becomes toxic. It can be a result of several different kinds of serious stressors, including:
In some cases, toxic stress can also be compounded by less severe but chronic stressors on the body, including poor diet and a lack of exercise, lack of sleep, and failing to take breaks when they’re needed. Our bodies become fatigued from toxic stress to the point where even minor frustrations feel like agony. This results in breaking down and burning out as we are unable to adapt. At this point, “stressed out” might not feel like a strong enough term to describe how you’re feeling. Tips to Understand and Manage StressStress might be tricky to understand. And the truth is, until we understand it, we can’t learn to manage it. Unfortunately, the damage toxic stress can cause is something many people aren’t even aware of until something more serious takes place. It’s helpful for anyone to understand their relationship with stress so they can best learn how it reveals itself, and then ultimately, how it can be managed. So, whether you’re stressed or stressed out, here are some of our best tips for understanding and managing stress. Know Common Signs of StressKnowing about these signs and noticing when they are affecting you can help you to better understand your stress and how it manifests itself. Some of the common signs of stress are:
The body gives us these cues to tell us it’s in overload and you need to attend to your stress. If these signs are ignored, the consequences of your stress only become worse. Take a Stress AssessmentIdentifying the sources of stress in your life is a great way to help manage it. The thing is, the process of identifying sources of stress can be more difficult than it seems. There are a number of tools out there that can help you to assess your stress levels and determine if they are higher than they should be. A stress assessment is a great way to get a better indication of where your stress develops from so that you can figure out where adjustments might need to be made. Here’s a handy self-assessment tool from the American Institute of Stress. Lifestyle Changes for Stress ManagementStress manifests from many different areas, so it’s best to make sure that you are maintaining a lifestyle that better keeps you clear of toxic stress so you can focus on managing the other types of stressors that come your way. Exercising, a nutritious diet, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are important to making sure that your body is getting what it needs. When the body is nourished it is better prepared to cope with stress. Exercise also serves as a great way to relieve and manage stress and make you feel great. Other lifestyle changes that can help you cope with and eliminate unnecessary stress (remember: some stress IS good!) include proper time management and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. Set yourself up for success and you will be better prepared for whatever stress may come your way! Recharge RegularlyIf you’re known to over commit yourself or have workaholic tendencies, then making the time to recharge is going to be essential to stress management. This includes taking the time to connect to others. Companionship can be incredibly calming and can trigger the release of natural stress relieving hormones. Human connection can also be helpful in times when you want to talk out your overwhelming stress. It’s also important to recharge with fun and relaxation! Make time for yourself to recharge with your favorite activities, whether that be leisure sports or a simple bubble bath. Get Help with Stress ManagementXen by Neuvana can help illuminate your path to improved wellness, including less stress, better sleep, brighter mood, and enhanced focus. Click here to learn more about how Xen by Neuvana and vagus nerve stimulation can help you create a happier, healthier, and more balanced life. If you learned a lot from this post on being stressed versus stressed out, don’t miss these posts : Our Top Tips to Biohack Your Life & Eliminate Unwanted Stress How to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve for Improved Mental Health from https://neuvanalife.com/stressed-or-stressed-out-whats-the-difference/ Listening to music is powerful. It can set the mood in certain situations, bring back nostalgic memories, and in some cases, even help relieve stress. In fact, the power of music for stress relief can be incredible. As it influences us with its relaxing effects on our minds and bodies, in turn, it also helps to relieve stress. This means listening to music just might be the answer for those who are looking to melt their stresses away. Let’s dive into the topic a little further! How Listening to Music Can Help Relieve StressRelaxation is maximized with musicStress can be reduced and relaxation maximized with the use of music, particularly when it is classical music. This slow and quiet genre has an effect on physiological functions as the pulse and heart rate are slowed down. Blood pressure can also be decreased along with stress hormones when listening to classical music. This makes for a relaxing experience and a great way to manage the common stresses that pop up in our lives. Music is also known to have a deep effect on our emotions. Slower tempos can help to silence the mind and relax muscles, making music an effective stress management tool. Music can provide a distractionSometimes you need something to take your mind off of your stresses. Music can be a great tool for providing distractions as it absorbs attention and diverts focus. Music can be a great addition to meditation as it helps to keep the mind from wandering and helps to provide relaxation. The choice of music will be different for all of us, as everyone is unique in how music affects them. It will also depend on the mood we’re in at the time. Music might even be a helpful distraction to those who are anxious or are experiencing pain. Distractions can be great for taking the mind off of more difficult situations and making you feel a lot better during them. Speaking of anxiety, click here for 9 Tips for Anxiety Relief to Help You Feel Your Best. Listening to music can increase productivityNow, talking opposite to music as a distraction – music can also be a tool for increasing productivity. Confusing, right? The type of music is really what matters when it comes to slowing down or speeding up productivity. Faster music can help you to feel more alert and help to increase productivity. More upbeat music can also help you to feel more optimistic and help you to better maintain a positive mind set. When your stress levels are high, it might seem natural to try to stay away from listening to music in order to solve your stresses. But listening to music is great for reducing stress and increasing productivity, or can at least assist in helping you towards it. You might make music a part of your everyday routine to help calm your stress, by listening to it in the car, while exercising, or while taking your morning shower. Including music as you go about your day is a great way to reduce stress or be better prepared for it when it comes your way. Certain music can help with sleepLosing sleep is a common problem for those who suffer from stress. Music can help with generating sleep as it can have an impact on physical, psychological and emotional states which contribute to the success of sleep. When you are too alert or excited before bed, it becomes a lot more difficult to shift into a sleep state. Listening to soothing music is a great way to help you wind down and relax before slumber. Sleep quality can also be boosted as wake up times during the night become less. You will wake up feeling much more refreshed in the morning as your body remains calm throughout the night. Relaxing music can trigger the release of feel-good chemicals in the brain. Your journey towards sleep is improved as your heart rate can be lowered and breathing slowed down. Sweet dreams! Listening to music can help to keep the brain youngAging isn’t just physical, it’s mental as well. It’s important to keep your mind sharp, which is one of the great benefits listening to music can provide. Listening to music helps to activate your entire brain and helps you to further develop your brain ‘muscle’. As you listen to music, your brain works to distinguish between different instruments that are playing the same note. Certain parts of the brain also help you to interpret the emotional content of music. Your brain gets a full workout with music as many of its parts become engaged. When your brain is fully engaged, its functionality is improved and skills are enhanced – keeping your brain fresh and young! Singing along to music is great for the soulIf you’ve ever belted out your favorite song then you know how good singing along to music can be for the soul. Sometimes it just feels necessary in order to push through a more difficult time. Singing along is a great way to release tension and make yourself feel good. When you feel good, you’re more likely to relax and let go of your stress. This then helps you to deal with stressful times in a more calm and organized fashion. More scientifically put, when you are stressed, the cortisol hormone in your body increases. As you sing along to music, the level of cortisol in your body decreases and tension is eased. Pick your favorite song, and let it all out! Music and Xen: Wellness TechnologyXen by Neuvana may create happier, healthier, more balanced lives through vagus nerve stimulation, simply by leveraging how the brain, body and nervous system work together. Using the Xen wellness technology, you can pair Xen’s vagus nerve stimulationwith your favorite music, which may enhance the effects. Xen syncs to your music library, Spotify®, Pandora®, and most other streaming apps. Easily customize your sessions to choose different stimulation waveforms and sensations with the Neuvana app, all while you listen to your music or go about your day. Want to learn more? Click here to read about the science behind Xen. from https://neuvanalife.com/how-does-listening-to-music-help-relieve-stress/ Our capacity for resilience is more important than ever in a world where we’re faced with scary realities on a daily basis. When things get tough, we bounce back and come back better than ever, right? Not always. What is resilience?The capacity to recover quickly from tough situations is different for everyone. For some, resiliency is something that comes naturally. For others, it needs to be learned. Those who are resilient, whether it is natural or learned, are known to have a more optimistic view on life and are able to deal with their stresses more efficiently. No matter what type of person you are, tough times are bound to make their way into your life. This is why it’s important to develop resilient behaviors and be able to put them into practice when the hard times strike. You might even be able to thrive and get better because of them! National Recovery MonthWhile we discuss resilience, it’s also worth mentioning each September marks National Recovery Month (Recovery Month). This national observance is held each year to educate Americans about substance use treatment and mental health services available for those with a mental and/or substance use disorder to help them live a healthy and rewarding life. What role does resilience play in addiction recovery?Resilience can play a powerful role in addiction recovery. Throughout your recovery journey, you’re bound to face some surprises and challenges along the way. But the more resilient you are, the better you’ll be able to cope with anything that disrupts your path. Now, what if you aren’t naturally resilient? Chances are, you’re more resilient than you think. But what about developing your ability to be resilient beyond your natural capacity for recovery? Can you develop resilience?Absolutely! And it could be much simpler than you think. But keep in mind, as you experiment with different techniques for developing resilience, you’ll find some are more effective for you than others. That reminds us how important it is to keep trying until you find something that works for you! Here are our top 10 ways to enhance your resilience.1. Embrace the fact that change is inevitableThis will be a tough one for the type A, planner-savvy individuals, but happens to be imperative to being truly resilient. As much as you plan, the only constant in life is change. It’s essential to be flexible and adaptable and accept that change is always going to happen. Your ability to adapt and adjust to that change is what makes you best prepared. The people who are most resilient are the ones who are able to accept change and head in a new exciting direction because of it. 2. Be kind to yourselfWhen the going gets tough, it might seem like the right time to suppress your true needs in favor of trying to fix the situation. Or maybe you’re inclined to beat yourself up for the choices you’ve made or the path you’ve taken. The reality is, you are best equipped to take care of stressful situations when you are kind to yourself and take care of your own needs. Whether it’s eating healthy, getting enough sleep, moving your body outdoors, attending a recovery meeting, or calling your sponsor, it’s important to make time for yourself. When you are healthy and well taken care of, you will be ready to face oncoming challenges. 3. Set achievable goalsWhen a crisis hits, you may be tempted to scramble to pick up the pieces right away. But the most resilient types of people will be able to stop and assess the situation at hand. They seek to set achievable goals that will help them get where they are going and deal with the problem, rather than becoming overwhelmed. Goals make for solutions and successes down the road. 4. Continuously work on yourself and your skillsResilience isn’t built overnight. You will want to accept that your skills for acting resiliently are going to take time, not to mention a bit of work. Continue to work on your skills over time and learn from past situations where your stress may have gotten out of hand. Seek help from those who have a handle on resilient behavior and try to understand how their reactions led them to greater results. 5. Be a better problem solverDo your best to avoid getting discouraged when crisis strikes. You will want to try to come up with a list of potential solutions to the problem at hand. Use a logical way of thinking to develop different strategies that could help you through the situation. Practicing problem solving on a regular basis is the best way to prepare and help you become more resilient. There’s no longer a need to hit the panic button! You will be a natural at taking the situation at hand and turning it on its head into something better. 6. Practice an optimistic attitudePracticing an optimistic attitude during tougher periods of time is essential to keeping a hopeful outlook and becoming more resilient. Your hopes for a better future are what drive you through those times and bring you out on top. By staying optimistic, you create an understanding that the difficulties presented to you are only temporary and that you have what it takes to get past them. 7. Surround yourself with good peopleYou become who you surround yourself with, which means that surrounding yourself with people who are resilient helps you to better achieve it. The people that you choose to surround yourself with can also be the ones to help you through difficult times. This could be friends, family, your recovery support group, or your sponsor–or anyone else who cares about you and has your best interests in mind. They may be able to talk you through your problems and help come up with achievable solutions. Sometimes, simply talking about a crisis with people who care about you is the best way to get through it. 8. Have confidence in your abilitiesYour ability to cope with stress is deeply rooted in your confidence in yourself. Teach yourself to be more confident in what you are capable of so that you can better build resilience for the future. Self-esteem is an important part of how you deal with pressure and recover from difficult events. Learn to treasure your abilities and remind yourself of what you have accomplished in the past. 9. Keep moving forwardThere are bound to be road blocks throughout your journey towards resilience and your path to recovery. Motivate yourself to keep moving forward, challenge your comfort zones, and try to turn tough situations into better ones. You can better recover if you can create meaning behind the steps you take to move forward and develop a sense of purpose. You might become involved in your community and try to help others through a difficult situation that you have also experienced. 10. Vagus nerve stimulationOne of the most revolutionary ways to improve resilience is through vagus nerve stimulation. Research suggests VNS can help to improve sleep, reduce stress, boost your mood, provide anxiety relief, and enhance focus to support overall wellness. The more glimpses of relaxation your brain gets through this method, the more time you’ll be able to spend in that state. And the calmer you are, the better equipped you are to deal with trying times and bounce back from them. Taking care of this important nerve in the body means more positivity and a better ability to cope. Discover tools to further enhance your resilienceNow, you might be wondering how you can experience vagus nerve stimulation for yourself. There are some fantastic tools that can help! If you’re looking for a unique, effective, non-invasive way to experience the many benefits of VNS, we encourage you to give Xen by Neuvana a try. This vagus nerve stimulating technology was invented by a top surgeon and accomplished inventor passionate about enhancing people’s lives through wellness technology. All it takes to stimulate your vagus nerve from home is plugging your Xen Headphones into the Xen handheld device that connects to your smartphone. Next, you can listen to your favorite sounds or music while the gentle electrical stimulation works its magic! Xen even syncs to your music library, Spotify®, Pandora®, and most other streaming apps. Whether you’re hoping to enhance your resiliency to assist with addiction recovery or to handle any of life’s other challenges, know that it IS possible to develop your resilience. Don’t give up, and remember to access the resources available to you!Learn more about Xen by Neuvana here. Or click here to learn more about the resources available through National Recovery Month. from https://neuvanalife.com/10-powerful-ways-to-enhance-your-resilience/ Stress levels are at an all-time high for many Americans. As families across the country prepare to send their kids back to school this month, they face uncertainty about adapting to the new norm and navigating all the changes we’ll continue to experience. And as we discuss chronic and ongoing stress, it’s prime time to talk about allostatic load and what it can mean for your health and wellness. An introduction to allostasisThe term gets its name from the allostasis model, a regulatory model based on the idea homeostasis (error-correction by feedback) is inherently inefficient. Instead, the allostasis model functions on this idea: “efficient regulation requires anticipating needs and preparing to satisfy them before they arise. The advantages: (i) errors are reduced in magnitude and frequency; (ii) response capacities of different components are matched — to prevent bottlenecks and reduce safety factors; (iii) resources are shared between systems to minimize reserve capacities; (iv) errors are remembered and used to reduce future errors. This regulatory strategy requires a dedicated organ, the brain.” In 1993, McEwan and Stellar published a new formulation for the relationship between stress and the processes leading to disease. They called it allostatic load. Okay, we know that’s a lot of technical jargon. So let’s break down allostasis and allostatic load in the simplest terms. Allostasis is the body’s regulatory response based on its ability to anticipate needs before they arise–as opposed to maintaining a steady state. And to reiterate the advantages of this model:
Under the homeostasis model, an animal may feel hot so it moves to a cooler environment. With allostasis, the animal anticipates the need to cool off and moves to a cooler area before it heats up. What is allostatic load?Now, the concept of allostatic load refers to the toll, or the “wear and tear” on the body as it is exposed to chronic stress. As you can imagine, the more prolonged or chronic the exposure, the greater the load can be. If your body is in a constant state of anticipating stress or “load” on the body’s systems, the allostatic load increases. As it turns out, an increased allostatic load can come with a multitude of negative mental and physical health consequences. The consequences of stressYour body’s systems are expected to fluctuate according to external forces–this is normal. But when these external forces become overwhelming, chronic, and long-term, it results in more stress and a heavier allostatic load. This is important because the consequences of a heavier allostatic load are the same as those of chronic stress. Chronic stress and a greater allostatic load can put you at a greater risk for:
Stress hormonesRepeated or chronic stress results in higher levels of a hormone called Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone or CRH. When this hormone is released, it also results in higher cortisol (the stress hormone) levels. And we know higher cortisol levels are associated with:
Another reason this is important because of its association with the Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis or the HPA axis. What is the HPA axis?The HPA axis plays a critical role in your body’s response to stress. In fact, it’s typically thought of as the central stress response system. It’s made up of the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal glands–each of which play their own important role in managing stress. And why does this matter? Repeated or persistent exposure to stress also results in repeated HPA axis activation, which means more stress hormones and the toll it takes on your body being in a near-constant state of “fight or flight.” So, as we work on managing and minimizing chronic stress, we can also minimize the release of stress hormones and the activation of the HPA-axis, and in turn, reducing allostatic load. Reducing allostatic loadOnce you understand the effects of chronic stress, it’s no wonder so many people are now focusing on reducing their allostatic load. As you implement stress-management techniques, your allostatic load can lower simultaneously. So, what can you do to reduce stress on the brain and body? Here are some of our favorite techniques! MeditationWe’ve talked a lot about meditation and how it’s the “gold standard for increasing your mindfulness and awareness.” And as you become more mindful and aware, you’ll often notice your stress levels lower. In fact, regular meditation can actually change your brain structure over time–really! If you’d like to get started, check out this post where we share a simple 5-minute meditation. ExerciseThere’s a reason nearly every stress management plan or guide to better health and wellness prioritizes exercise. The effects of regular exercise are profound. Not only can they improve your physical condition, but the mental effects of exercise are increasingly popular. Although exercise is a form of physical stress, it can go a long way in reducing mental stress. The neurochemical basis for this response has to do with how exercise reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. Exercise also stimulates the production of endorphins. These act as the body’s natural painkillers and mood elevators, and they also explain the “runner’s high” you may experience after an aerobic experience. If you’re dealing with chronic stress and you’re new to exercising, you’ll probably find it most beneficial to begin with gentle aerobic exercise. Something as simple as a 20 or 30-minute stroll through your neighborhood every day can work wonders for your mental and physical health. Over time, you may begin to experiment with more intense forms of exercise, including high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Just keep in mind, doing too much of this type of exercise can actually increase stress hormones which is why you need to find a balance that works for you. Social supportIt’s been particularly difficult for many people to maintain a social circle of support this year with physical distancing and isolation rules in place. But it’s as important as ever to find ways to connect. Social support and bonds can play an important role in reducing allostatic load and managing chronic stress. In fact, positive social interaction can play a directly beneficial role with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) system, the noradrenergic system, and central oxytocin pathways. With that in mind, whether it’s regular video calls or appropriate outdoor gatherings, look for ways you can stay connected with your friends and family. Quitting smokingIf you’re still looking for the inspiration you need to quit smoking, here’s another thing to add to your list: smokers are associated with higher allostatic loads, particularly those who are anxious to begin with. There are several different methods to help you quit smoking, and it might take some experimenting to find what works for you. Here are some of the most common ways to help you resist and reduce the urge to smoke:
Vagus nerve stimulationIt seems the benefits of vagus nerve stimulation expand every day. They can range from everything from better sleep to enhanced focus to reduced cravings, improved focus, brighter mood, and lower stress levels. If you’re new to the vagus nerve and vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), let’s do a quick break down: The vagus is the 10th cranial nerve, and it’s part of the afferent nervous system. This provides the brain with sensory information and it helps regulate many critical body functions like blood pressure, breathing, and digestion.. It also functions as the information highway from the brain to the heart, airways, lungs, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, and small intestines. When adequately stimulated, your vagus nerve balances your nervous system by promoting the relaxation response. In turn, it helps with all kinds of things, including mood, calmness, digestion, and sexual arousal. Now, here’s how it comes into play with reducing allostatic load and managing stress: When your ever-vigilant sympathetic nervous system revs up your fight or flight responses (releasing stress hormones), the vagus nerve tells your body to relax by releasing acetylcholine and norepinephrine to balance things out. Think of this nerve like a fiber-optic cable that sends back instructions to release enzymes and proteins which calm you down. Xen by NeuvanaFor a long time, people turned to invasive measures to stimulate the vagus nerve in hopes of experiencing the benefits of doing so. Today, there are more accessible ways to stimulate the vagus nerve, including tVNS (transcutaneous VNS). This method uses electrical vagus nerve stimulation through the surface of the skin. Usually applied via the left ear, directly by the user, tVNS is portable and works quickly. tVNS can be utilized easily to promote and maintain general health and wellness. With Xen by Neuvana, you can stimulate the vagus nerve from the comfort of your own home. When you turn on the Xen unit and pair it with the Neuvana App on your smartphone, the left earbud transmits a gentle electrical signal intended to stimulate the vagus nerve. That way, you can get the benefits of vagus nerve stimulation while listening to your music. The Xen stimulation pattern even syncs to your music library, Spotify®, Pandora®, and most other streaming apps. Researchers are discovering the vagus nerve has a significant impact on a variety of maladies including stress levels. Evidence shows VNS can reduce the impact of stress on sleep, focus, mood, and one’s overall sense of wellbeing. . Over time, this can reduce your allostatic load and help you navigate the detrimental effects of chronic stress. Xen isn’t a medical device. It’s not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, mitigate, or prevent a disease or condition, nor is it intended to alter the structure or function of the body. Xen is for use by healthy adults to promote health and wellness. Click here to check out FAQs and other important information. Other ways to reduce allostatic load and stress levelsAt Neuvana, we’re committed to helping you lead a more balanced life with our wellness products. We also talk about stress and anxiety extensively on our blog to provide you with the most helpful information and a variety of tools and techniques you can use. Here are some other posts on the subject you won’t want to miss: Your Biohacking Guide to Better Brain Health 9 Tips for Anxiety Relief to Help You Feel Your Best Biohacking 101: Hack Your Nervous System from https://neuvanalife.com/understanding-reducing-allostatic-load/ There are a lot of words you’re hearing more than ever this year: Pandemic, social distancing, face coverings, working from home, to name a few. Hopefully, you’re seeing words like overcome, heal, and resilience too. What is resilience?Resilience is a lot more than a buzzword this year. It’s our ability to overcome, adapt to, and recover from challenges or stressors. And if you’re like many people, you’re facing more challenges and stress than ever before. On any given day, we can experience countless threats (whether real or imagined) to our safety and well-being. In response to these threats, our body has certain systems in place. One of them you likely know well is what’s known as the fight-or-flight response. You get a rush of adrenaline to help this response along, and that can be a good thing. But what happens if you’re in a near-constant state of fight-or-flight mode? Not only could your nerves be shot, but your ability to be resilient could suffer too. But here’s the good news: there are things you can do to promote resilience, including strengthening your body-based somatic intelligence. What is somatic intelligence?Your somatic intelligence refers to your ability to cope with, respond, and deal with challenges and danger. It’s directly related to your ability to soothe yourself after a trauma or challenge. The greater your somatic intelligence, the more resilient you can be.Once you know HOW your body responds to stress and trauma, you can use this knowledge (or somatic intelligence) to respond appropriately. Luckily, your somatic intelligence isn’t set in stone. When you tune into your body, you can use this knowledge to support your mind and body as you deal with life’s challenges. You can improve your somatic intelligence and promote resilience at the same time. How tuning into your body can promote resilienceTo nurture our somatic intelligence, we need to look closely at the nervous system. How can we soothe and relax our stress responses to promote resiliency? It requires tuning into our bodies and connecting with our innate ability to soothe, recover, and heal ourselves. Here are five body-based practices for doing just that. BreathingFor most of the day, breathing is a mindless activity. Our brain tells our body to breathe without us consciously considering doing so. But when we stop to tune into this response, we can use it to a greater advantage. Each time we take a breath we activate the sympathetic branch of our nervous system a little bit. If you’re experiencing a big reaction or heavy breathing, this branch activates even more. Then, as you let a breath out, the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system activates. If you’re startled or stunned, this is further exaggerated. By the way, we talk about the parasympathetic nervous system in greater detail over here in this post. This back-and-forth between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system is meant to keep us balanced. Naturally, life can get in the way of this balance. Take a few moments each day to devote to breathing intentionally. Notice how your breath feels going in, and do the same each time you exhale. This promotes a balance within your nervous system while strengthening your somatic intelligence and promoting resilience. SighingThink about the last time you took an audible sigh. Chances are, it was during a moment of stress or frustration. In fact, sighing is one of your body’s ways to ease tension and actually reset your nervous system. While sighs may often be passive, you can choose to let out an audible sigh to experience the tension relief and reset when you need it. When you’re feeling incredibly emotional or on high-alert, your breathing pattern can be disrupted. This also disrupts the balance in your nervous system. Studies show sighing is an effective tool for restoring this balance. And you don’t need to wait for your body to do it naturally! In fact, instructed sighs and spontaneous sighs can both restore the ideal respiratory balance. So, next time you’re facing a difficult moment, try this technique to soothe yourself, promote resilience, and restore balance. The power of touchWe know that cortisol is a stress hormone. Our bodies release it to aid with the “fight-or-flight” response to enable us to make quick decisions and actions. Our heart rate increases, non-essential functions are curbed, and sugar levels increase in the blood. Under the right circumstances, higher cortisol levels are necessary. But many of us are finding ourselves in a constant state of stress or “fight-or-flight” mode, and we’re dealing with the consequences. And that’s where oxytocin comes in. Think of this hormone as the antidote to cortisol. Rather than fight or flee, it tells the body to tend and befriend. It provides you with a cascade of positive emotions and pleasant feelings. No wonder it’s associated with the birth of a baby or cuddling a pet! In times of stress, you can use the power of touch to increase your levels of oxytocin to counteract the damaging effects of too much cortisol. Try hugging a loved one for one minute, holding hands, or even just making prolonged eye contact and being in close proximity to another person and see how quickly you feel calmer and more resilient! Tune into your heartNow more than ever, it’s not always possible to use the power of touch with another person. If you’re facing a challenge by yourself, try this instead to release oxytocin:
Anytime you’re stressed or anxious, this is a good way to ground yourself and enjoy the release of oxytocin and the safe, trusting feelings it promotes. Vagus nerve stimulationAnother tool for promoting resilience and restoring balance to the nervous system is vagus nerve stimulation. Vagus nerve stimulation or VNS has been scientifically researched for decades for its power to improve wellness. Electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve sends messages to the brain to generate calming sensations in the body. Your brain and body use somatic intelligence during or after stressful moments through a process called neuromodulation (nerves modulating your body’s response). As your parasympathetic nervous system kicks in, it balances the stress response by slowing your heart rate and breathing along with other key body functions. Ultimately, this promotes relaxation. What does the vagus nerve have to do with this? Well, it plays a key role in coordinating this relaxation response! The vagus nerve signals the brain to release calming neurotransmitters (compounds that affect systemic responses) like acetylcholine and serotonin. So, how do you go about stimulating the vagus nerve to experience this relaxation response for yourself?
Xen by NeuvanaFor those looking for a convenient way to stimulate the vagus nerve, Xen by Neuvana is an excellent choice. Xen is for use by healthy adults to promote health and wellness (and even resilience!). Xen by Neuvana Headphones are specifically designed to stimulate a branch of the vagus nerve. When you place the left earbud in your left ear, turn the Xen unit on, and pair it with the Neuvana app on your smartphone, it transmits a gentle electrical signal meant to stimulate the vagus nerve. In turn, this could help strengthen your somatic intelligence, promote resilience, and encourage your body’s innate ability to self-soothe. Self-soothing leads to resilienceEach of the five body-based methods we’ve discussed for promoting resilience also encourage your body to self-soothe. When you’re able to comfort yourself and restore balance within your nervous system after it’s disrupted, you’ll often find you can recover quicker and more easily. from https://neuvanalife.com/how-tuning-into-your-body-can-promote-resilience/ When you pictured what your 2020 would look like, chances are it wasn’t quite like this. A lot has changed. It feels like your world has been turned upside down since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. And as you navigate these uncertain times, you might also be helping your child do the same. Maybe your work routine is entirely different (or non-existent), your travel plans have all been canceled, or you haven’t seen loved ones in months. For children, times of uncertainty might look and feel a lot different than they do for adults. Summers usually spent at camp, or traveling to see family, or just playing with all of the kids in the neighborhood from sunup to sundown might have been the norm up until now. Now, your children might be tired of staying at home and frustrated by a lack of socialization with people outside of your family. Maybe they’re starting to act out and tantrums are a daily (or hourly!) occasion in your house. Older kids might show their frustration or confusion in different ways. They may act out in their own ways by challenging the rules or further isolating themselves. How to navigate uncertainty with children of all agesStress levels are higher than ever for people across the world. These levels are only increased by not knowing how to help our children cultivate their minds around these stressful times. While there’s no one right answer, there are certain guidelines and tips for guiding your children through uncertainty. There are different ways to help children understand these changes depending on their age. Naturally, the way you help a four-year-old process these difficult times will be different than it is for a college-age child. Let’s discuss how to manage this uncertainty and have important conversations with children of all ages. Pre-k childrenYounger children are more likely to have tantrums, be clingy and whiny, or even revert to old behaviors like thumb-sucking or bed-wetting during times of uncertainty. Heads up! There’s a good chance your child is getting a lot of their cues from you. If they see you being stressed or panicked, they’ll feel the same, even if they show it in different ways. Do your best to model calm, peaceful behavior around your children. This helps set an example and demonstrates to your children that everything is okay. If your child has already started showing these signs of stress or anxiety, it’s not likely to change overnight. Be patient with your child and look for opportunities to discuss their feelings in language they can process. Focus on having patience with your child when they act out. If you respond in an equally elevated manner, their response will usually become even bigger. Grade school childrenOnce your children are a little bit older and they’re more capable of expressing their feelings with words, they might come to you with questions or concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic or other issues. It’s important to capitalize on this opportunity to discuss their fears with them. When you promote a safe space for sharing, they’re more likely to keep sharing. Not to mention, providing this space goes a long way in offering them a sense of security. Some children aren’t as likely to open up about their feelings. A great way to encourage them to share is offering them opportunities to draw or write. You could provide them with the tools to do so and give them total control of what they create. Or if you’re hoping to start a conversation, offer them specific prompts. You might ask your child to write down five things that scare them and five things they love. Focus on the good and bad when you discuss this with your child afterward and remind them it’s okay to feel however they feel. What’s most important is they’re willing to discuss their feelings. High school studentsStressors and fears tend to manifest differently in teenagers than they do in younger children. Often, you’ll notice teenagers demonstrate a lack of motivation or energy during times of uncertainty. You may also notice them displaying openly anxious behavior like nail-biting. Keep in mind how much information a teenager is exposed to on a daily basis. If your teen is like most, they spend a lot of time on social media and it’s hard to keep an eye on everything they’re exposed to. They could be reading misinformation that worsens their fears and anxiety without you knowing it. To make sure your child is appropriately informed, make sure to have regular discussions about the facts. Trust reliable news sources for your information and share it with your children. Foster open communication on scary topics and encourage them to ask you any questions they have. You might be tempted to hide a lot of this information from children, but keep in mind they’re likely already seeing it each time they log on to social media or use the Internet. When you facilitate these conversations, you can take some control of what your teenager hears and at the very least, know they’re getting accurate information. If you notice your teenager seems more anxious or irritable when they have more screen time, consider setting time limits. To keep them busy, look for other fun activities they can do that don’t involve their smartphones. College-age childrenDuring a time when big strides are being made toward their future career and goals, it’s common for college students to feel disillusioned and worried about what their future looks like. Add a global pandemic on top of that, and these fears and anxieties are greater than ever. No matter how old they get, your children are still children. If you have college-age children, it’s still important to consider how you can help them guide them through these uncertain times. When your college-age child lives at home, you might have an easier time checking in on them and finding out how they’re feeling. If your child lives away from home, it’s just as important to have regular discussions (even if they’re over the phone) so you can check in on them. During these conversations, focus on treating your children with respect and offering them room to express their emotions. In many cases, that means letting them voice their concerns rather than immediately assuring them their worst fear will never happen. As parents, it’s often our instinct to jump to offering solutions for our children’s concerns. For younger children, solutions may provide immediate comfort and reassurance. With college-age children, it’s just as important to listen without judgement and provide a safe space to vent. Sometimes, asking questions is a lot more effective than offering advice. Concerns about returning to schoolParents and children alike are feeling uncertainty about a return to school. The news seems to change by the day, and this only adds to the uncertainty. It’s difficult for parents to make decisions about work and other plans when they don’t know if their children will be learning at school or from home. At the same time, children also feel anxious about the questions surrounding a return to school this fall. If they know they will be attending school in-person, they could have health-related fears. Or if they know they WON’T be attending school in person, maybe they’re feeling frustrated and upset about not seeing their friends each day. No matter how old your child is, be sure to talk to them about their specific concerns or anxieties surrounding school. Do they want to discuss the safety protocols their school has in place? Are they curious about how remote learning will work? Whatever it is, make sure they know they can come to you to talk, vent, or ask questions. What about you?One of the greatest stressors for children can be seeing their parents struggle. This isn’t to say you need to hide your emotions entirely from your child. In fact, it’s important for them to see you process and maneuver through tough times. That being said, they also need you to model resilience. It’s worth noting that receiving professional emotional support is now more accessible than ever. There are several online or mobile therapy programs (including many free options) tailored to specific age groups. Take a look at this comprehensive list of the best online therapy programs for 2020 to find an option that works for you. Whether your child is four or 14, they look to you as an example.Are you doing everything you can to take care of yourself? Do you talk about your feelings openly the way you expect them to? Managing your own stress levels during times of great uncertainty can’t be overlooked. Think of it like putting your own oxygen mask on before helping others. To help your children navigate uncertainty, you need to make sure you’re doing the same for yourself.Here’s a great place to start: we share nine tips for anxiety relief in this post. We’d love to hear from you. How are you managing all of this unpredictability for yourself and your children? Comment down below and let’s talk. from https://neuvanalife.com/how-to-navigate-times-of-uncertainty-with-kids/ The nervous system is incredibly complex. In fact, it can be so intimidating many of us give up altogether on trying to understand it. But what if we told you the key to improved well-being could lie in triggering certain nervous system responses? It’s true – the autonomic nervous system is comprised of two divisions: the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. And for today’s post, we’re going to focus on how you can stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system and why it can be beneficial to your well-being. Sympathetic vs. parasympathetic nervous systemAs we mentioned, the autonomic nervous system is divided into two components: the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. They both perform different, but very important functions. Understanding the sympathetic nervous system and the fight-or-flight responseThe sympathetic nervous system is what’s responsible for what we know as the “fight-or-flight” response. This response is also called the stress response. It evolved as a survival mechanism. It’s our body’s way of telling us there’s a perceived threat and we need to take action: fight or flee. The fight-or-flight response tells us to adapt to a threatening situation. These distress signals can help the body produce the energy it needs to deal with a threat:
But we can’t be in this state at all times or we enter what’s known as chronic stress. So, what about turning off or slowing down this process when a threat is no longer a threat and the danger has passed? That’s where the parasympathetic nervous system comes in. The parasympathetic nervous system and the rest and digest responseInstead of activating your stress response like the sympathetic nervous system, your parasympathetic nervous system is meant to act as a brake. It tells your body it’s okay to slow down, to take deep breaths, and to relax. This response allows your cortisol levels to fall. It tells your body to conserve energy, to slow the heart rate, and to increase intestinal and gland activity. It even relaxes the sphincter muscles in the gastrointestinal tract. Essentially, all of your body’s functions that require the most energy and effort are slowed or stopped when the parasympathetic system kicks in. You can finally “rest and digest.” The importance of a balanced nervous systemAs you can imagine, constantly being in a state of rest and digest OR fight or flight can’t be good for the brain or body. On the one hand, you could be in a state of chronic stress, which comes with a variety of consequences. Several diseases are associated with chronic stress. This is largely due to the link between chronic stress and the immune system. As one study puts it: In a situation of chronic stress, the neuroimmune axis can be overstimulated and breaks down, thus causing neuroendocrine/immune imbalances that establish a state of chronic low-grade inflammation, a possible prelude to various illnesses [8]. Diseases whose development have been linked to both stress and inflammation include cardiovascular dysfunctions, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune syndromes and mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders. The link between chronic stress and the negative effect this can have on the brain structure can’t be ignored. These structural changes can potentially cause the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral dysfunctions commonly associated with chronic stress that may also increase vulnerability to psychiatric disorders. On the other hand, if our sympathetic nervous system is NEVER triggered, we might not be equipped to adequately deal with threats. But the problem is for many of us, our sympathetic nervous system and stress response stays triggered for much longer or more often than it needs to be. Over time, this can lead to the problems we just covered, and an overall negative effect on your well-being. Enlist your parasympathetic nervous system to helpNow for some good news: there are tools you can utilize to stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system if it’s unbalanced. That means you can enjoy the benefits of the relaxation response, including lower blood pressure, improved digestion, increased blood flow to the body’s major muscles, improved mood and concentration, better sleep quality and less fatigue, and much more. The parasympathetic nervous system and the vagus nerveNo conversation about the parasympathetic nervous system is complete without mentioning the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is the longest in the autonomic nervous system, and it extends to nearly every major system in the body. It’s also the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system. That’s why vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) can be a great way to trigger the parasympathetic nervous system to help you relax. At Neuvana, we’re all about stimulating the vagus nerve to leverage how the brain, body, and nervous system work together. We also believe this doesn’t need to be invasive or complicated. So, we’re proud to offer Xen by Neuvana as a way to stimulate the vagus nerve from the comfort of your own home. Why VNS?Electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve sends messages to the brain to generate calming sensations in the body. In fact, VNS has been scientifically researched for decades for its power to improve wellness. Some methods for doing this involve surgical implantation or other invasive measures. But with Xen by Neuvana, you have an accessible, easy way to stimulate the vagus nerve. All it takes is plugging in your Xen Headphones into the Xen handheld device that connects to your smartphone. Then, you can listen to your favorite music or sounds while the gentle electrical stimulation gets to work! Xen even syncs to your music library, Spotify®, Pandora®, and most other streaming apps. Vagus nerve stimulation is one of the greatest ways to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. (By the way, we share more on the vagus nerve, including why it’s the key to well-being, in this post). Looking to stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system at any given time? Keep reading to add more options to your parasympathetic stimulation routine! How to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous systemTouch your lipsDid you know the lips have parasympathetic fibers running through them? Something as simple as gently running your finger over your lips can stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. Next time you’re feeling stressed or anxious, take one or two fingers and gently rub them back and forth on your lips. (Yes, it even works if you’re wearing a mask!) Focus on the sensations this creates and notice how the mind and body begin to relax. ImageryUsing calming imagery to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system is an excellent tool for grounding yourself and relaxing when you need it most. Try this: Take a moment to imagine your favorite place. Visualize exactly what it looks like. Visualize how relaxed you look while you’re there. Next, notice every detail, every color, every shape in this space. As your mind focuses on these details rather than the current stress you’re experiencing, you’ll notice you naturally begin to calm down. BreathingWe discussed how the parasympathetic nervous system slows the breathing down. But if you intentionally focus on slowing your breathing, even during moments of stress or “fight-or-flight,” it can trigger the parasympathetic nervous system response. Practice taking slow deep breaths from the diaphragm. Place a hand on your stomach and if you notice it rises and falls as you breathe, this tells you you’re breathing from the diaphragm. Diaphragmatic breaths are more relaxing than the quick, shallow breaths associated with the stress response. These are some of our favorite ways to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system and the vagus nerve. What tools do you use to calm down in stressful or anxious moments? Comment down below and let us know. Would you like to learn more about Xen by Neuvana and how it can help gently stimulate the vagus nerve? Click here to discover what they could do for you. from https://neuvanalife.com/how-to-stimulate-your-parasympathetic-nervous-system/ Take a minute and imagine your body is a bright red sports car. Or perhaps it’s a more practical option. Either way, ask yourself who’s in the driver’s seat? Most experts will agree, your brain is the one calling the shots for your body. And when it comes to helping your mind AND body perform at their best, a great place to start is considering your brain health. Give yourself the best odds for brain healthThere are no guarantees for how your brain function will change over time. But what you do have control over is taking every step you can to improve your cognitive functioning and brain health now. You have the ability to give yourself the best odds of long-term brain health using a variety of tools, including the biohacks we’ll discuss today. What is biohacking?If you’re unfamiliar with biohacking, the word itself might sound pretty wild, but chances are you’ve inadvertently tried or know someone who has tried biohacking many times. After all, something as simple as taking a cold water plunge to wake yourself up is considered biohacking! Biohacking is also referred to as DIY biology, and this helps explain its meaning. It’s essentially a way of manipulating your brain and body into performing their best. In this post, we’re focusing on what you can do for biohacking your way to better brain health. And if you ask us, it’s never too early (or too late!) to start biohacking your brain. Your biohacking guide for better brain healthReady to get started on your journey to better brain health? You’re in the right place. We’ve created a guide with tips for biohacking your sleep, mindfulness, and music, giving yourself the best odds of optimal brain health for years to come. Sleep biohackingSleep is absolutely essential for your overall brain and physical health. So important, in fact, that you can’t live without it. While you sleep, your brain and body are still working hard. Sleep serves these important functions and more:
Your brain generates two kinds of sleep: one is characterized by slower brain waves (SWS or slow wave sleep), the other is deeper sleep with rapid eye movement, known as REM. While you sleep, your body is also able to clear out what’s known as beta-amyloid. Why does this matter? Well, beta-amyloid is a form of metabolic waste that is a prime suspect in Alzeimer’s disease. According to the global Alzheimer’s Association, beta-amyloid “accumulates in stages into microscopic amyloid plaques that are considered a hallmark of a brain affected by Alzheimer’s.” So, if you’ve been sacrificing sleep for less important things in life, it’s time to make a change! Aim for at least 7-8 hours of good-quality sleep each night to give your brain and body the chance to rest and recuperate. Not only is this considered an important step on the path to better brain health, but you’ll often find your mood and energy experience drastic improvements too. Is it stress keeping you up at night? Then you won’t want to miss this post where we share our top tips for biohacking your life to eliminate unwanted stress. Mindfulness biohackingWhen is the last time you took a few moments to tune in to yourself? To quiet your mind? To take some deep breaths and recenter yourself? If it’s been a while, it might be time to start biohacking your way to better brain health by practicing mindfulness and meditation. Keep in mind, mindfulness isn’t just a buzzword! In fact, countless studies show that meditation can actually change your brain. That’s right–not just your mood or your stress levels, but your actual brain structure. And meditation is the gold-standard for increasing your mindfulness and awareness. If you’re new to meditation, here’s an easy 5-minute practice to help you get started:
Meditation isn’t something that can be mastered in one try. It takes time and experience to get into the swing of things. But overtime, this practice pays off significantly with improved mindfulness. Music biohackingAt Neuvana, one of our favorite biohacks for better brain health has to do with music. Using Xen by Neuvana, you can listen to your favorite music and experience a variety of benefits at the same time. Our advanced technology comes in the form of a wellness product that can elevate your mood, improve sleep, enhance focus, and reduce stress by gently stimulating your vagus nerve. And it’s all done by wearing specially designed headphones! Xen’s headphones attach to Xen, a compact device that connects to your smartphone or tablet. It delivers a mild electrical signal to your vagus nerve in your ear while you listen to your favorite music. Xen even connects with major music streaming services like Apple Music, Spotify, and Pandora., While there are incredible wellness benefits that can come from VNS, or vagus nerve stimulation (read more about them here), there are also brain health benefits that come from listening to music. In fact, music has a variety of therapeutic uses, from reduced stress to better sleep and improved academic performance. So, if you want to experience the potential brain health benefits from music and vagus nerve stimulation, why not combine both and listen to your favorite music with Xen by Neuvana? Your journey to better brain healthNeuvana is here for you on your journey to optimal health and wellness. VNS has been scientifically researched for decades and shown to have many wellness benefits. Learn more about Xen by Neuvana or take a look at what’s being said in the news about Neuvana here. The information on this website is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice. from https://neuvanalife.com/your-biohacking-guide-to-better-brain-health/ You’ve probably heard of the fight-or-flight response. Now, what about the rest-and-digest response? Or tend-and-befriend? Even if you’re not familiar with them, you can likely imagine what’s more optimal for the body: being in a state of resting and digesting rather than feeling the urge to fight or flee. So, if there’s something you can do to trigger the rest-and-digest response versus fight-or-flight, wouldn’t you want to know? Well, that’s where vagus nerve stimulation comes in! A quick overview of the nervous systemIf you divide the nervous system into 2 major parts, you get the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Your CNS is made up of your brain and spinal cord. Then, your PNS connects your CNS to the rest of the body. The PNS can be broken down even further into the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system. The somatic nervous system connects the skin, sensory organs, and skeletal muscles to nerves. In addition to being responsible for almost all of your voluntary muscle movements, it’s also responsible for processing sensory information from external stimuli including hearing, touch, and sight. Now, the autonomic nervous system is what we’ll primarily be focusing on today. This system is what controls those unconscious bodily functions, like breathing, heart rate, and digestion. With the help of the autonomic nervous system, we don’t need to consciously tell ourselves to take every breath or digest our food. Before we get into the vagus nerve, we need to break down the autonomic nervous system a bit further into sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions. The sympathetic system is associated with fight or flight, and situations that call for a quick response. On the other hand, the parasympathetic system is associated with the rest-and-digest response. And can you guess what the driving force behind the parasympathetic nervous system is? That’s right: the vagus nerve! What is the vagus nerve?The vagus nerve plays a powerful role in balancing the nervous system. That way, you’re not always in fight-or-flight OR rest-and-digest. It helps with sensory and motor functions, as well as things like:
The vagus nerve is the 10th, cranial nerve and the longest of all 12 cranial nerves. In addition to being the longest, it’s also the most complex. We know that by stimulating the vagus nerve, the brain and body can experience a wide range of benefits. With that in mind, it’s no surprise vagus nerve stimulation is a technique that’s been utilized for hundreds of years. What is vagus nerve stimulation?When you stimulate the vagus nerve, parasympathetic activity is triggered. And this can come with plenty of perks! While VNS therapy can provide a number of emotional and physical well-being benefits, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also approved its use, in some forms, to treat medical ailments like epilepsy, depression, and cluster headaches. By the way, we discuss how to stimulate your vagus nerve for improved mental health in this blog post. When it’s used to treat medical conditions, VNS typically requires surgery to implant a commercially available programmable pulse generator device to provide electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve. But, for those who want to experience the wellness benefits of VNS without a surgical procedure, there are far less invasive and practical ways to do so! Meet Xen by NeuvanaXen by Neuvana leverages how the brain, body, and nervous system work together. Xen can help create happier, healthier, more balanced lives.Xen by Neuvana is specifically designed to stimulate a branch of the vagus nerve. When the left earbud is placed in your left ear and your Xen unit is turned on and properly paired with the Neuvana App on your smartphone, a gentle electrical signal is transmitted that’s intended to stimulate the vagus nerve. Research suggests vagus nerve stimulation can have significant health and wellness benefits. And we hear from so many of our customers that it benefits them! Just as each person is unique, results may be different for each user, which is why we offer a money back guarantee. It is well accepted that stress has negative health effects on the body. And VNS could help you negate these effects. Research also suggests the type of stimulation Xen provides may improve sleep, reduce stress, boost your mood and enhance focus to support overall wellness. Using Xen by Neuvana headphones is one great way to stimulate the vagus nerve. But here are our other 5 tips on vagus nerve stimulation you can try today. 5 Tips on Vagus Nerve StimulationUtilize cold therapyCold therapy is one of the earliest medical treatments humankind knows of. In fact, the Edwin Smith Papyrus (3500 BC), the oldest medical text, repeatedly mentions cold therapy. For many people, cold therapy is an effective way to stimulate the vagus nerve and experience benefits like slowed heart rate and deeper breathing. Researchers have discovered exposing yourself to cold on a regular basis can lower your fight or flight response and increase parasympathetic activity through the vagus nerve. A quick way to introduce yourself to this practice is taking a 30-second cold shower or splashing ice cold water on your face. Deep breathingAs you instruct yourself to take slow, deep breaths, this can signal to the body it’s time to relax. Parasympathetic activity can increase, which means the vagus nerve is stimulated. Try stretching each deep breath to about 10 seconds total (or 6 breaths per minute) and notice the relaxing effect this has on the body and mind. MeditationFinding a meditation practice that works for you can take some time. But it can also have positive effects on several areas of your life. In fact, studies show meditation can strengthen vagal tone to help you enjoy the effects of vagus nerve stimulation. Take a look at this study to learn how positive emotions build physical health. HummingWe know the vagus nerve is far reaching. Close to it’s origin in the brainstem, one of the areas it’s connected to is the vocal cords. Humming is one way to stimulate the vagus nerve, as the vibrations in your vocal cords can trigger the vagal response. Try humming your favorite song or simply repeating “OM” to see how this feels for you. MusicWe already discussed how Xen by Neuvana headphones can be useful for vagus nerve stimulation. But did you know you can listen to your favorite music at the same time and enjoy even more benefits? Listening to relaxing music can help promote the vagal response and strengthen vagal tone. (For more on vagal tone and why it’s important to strengthen it, check out this blog post). When you do this using your Xen by Neuvana Headphones, you can experience the benefits of relaxing music paired with gentle, non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation at the same time. Xen syncs to your music library, Spotify®, Pandora®, and most other streaming apps. Xen makes it easy for you to try vagus nerve stimulation for yourself: at home, on your commute, or at the office. It’s compact, portable, and rechargeable. Would you like to learn more about how it works? Take a look at this collection of FAQs. Or click here to shop Xen by Neuvana. from https://neuvanalife.com/5-tips-on-vagus-nerve-stimulation-to-try-today/ |
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