Unfortunately, many of us live with a super charged sympathetic nervous system (SNS). Our SNS is designed to help us protect ourselves from danger, but the tremendously stressful lives we lead today cause our system to think we are under continuous threat. Consequently, our SNS is activated far too often and is basically functioning in overdrive. When this happens, our entire system is super charged. Our pupils dilate, adrenalin surges through our body and our heart beats rapidly. This is great when we are running from a tiger, but not so great when we are trying to sleep at night! When we are in a constant state of SNS arousal our parasympathetic nervous system (PSN) designed to keep our system in balance does not kick in to calm everything down and bring our system back into equilibrium. Consequently, we continue to be poised and ready for battle and we begin to experience imbalance, pain, and even disease. Over time, the imbalance, or this perpetual state of fight or flight, begins to break our body down and disrupt our life. Our bodies are designed to rest, digest, and reset when the PSNS kicks in, but for many of us, this delicate balance is frequently disrupted as a result of chronic and unrelenting stressors in our life. Yoga can help us calm our nervous system and get back into balance. The link between breath and movement and the emphasis on mindfulness, concentration, and meditation within a yoga practice helps create equilibrium which in turn, impacts every aspect of our lives.
Creating Internal Equilibrium
