Stress Response triggers Sympathetic Nervous System
Relaxation Response triggers Para Sympathetic Nervous System
The parasympathetic nervous system predominates in quiet “rest and digest” conditions while the sympathetic nervous system drives the “fight or flight” response in stressful situations.
Stress Response(Sympathetic Nervous System)
Stress is anything that triggers the amygdala in your brain to turn on the stress response(fight or flight response). Anything that turns on your fight or flight response will put you into the sympathetic nervous system, and fills your body with cortisol and epinephrine and other stress hormones. This is good if you are being chased by a tiger, as it helps to protect your life. If you were chased by a tiger, then your body is not going to clear that two cancer cells it generated today. Your body is not going to do the preventive maintenance it is suppose to do that day.
Relaxation Response (Para Sympathetic Nervous System)
Quiet calm mind relaxes Amygdala which in turn kicks in Relaxation Response . Relaxation Response triggers natural self repair mechanism in your body. Activation of the relaxation response is the key to activate the self repairing mechanism. Relaxation response is like cultivating the sense of stillness within you. The vagus nerve, also known as the vagal nerves, are the main nerves of your parasympathetic nervous system. This system controls specific body functions such as your digestion, heart rate and immune system. These functions are involuntary, meaning you can’t consciously control them
Amygdala doesn’t know the difference whether it is tiger or negative thoughts, beliefs that originate in your mind that turn on those stress responses. Your body is beautifully equipped with natural self repairing mechanisms, your body knows how to fight with cancer, how to prevent heart disease, how to fight of infection, and does it every day. Those natural self repairing mechanism are deactivated every time your body is in stress response. I dont want you to accept this chronic stress as a natural part of our life. Universe will take care of people who live in align with nature. Reduce stress responses and activate relaxation responses and help your body’s natural self-repair mechanisms heal you. Let yourself and give yourself the medicine(Relaxation Response) that you really need.