Calming the Storm Within Techniques for Anxiety Management and Nervous System Regulation
The tidal wave rises, crashing through your defences and your need to run is overwhelming. Your body is screaming for you to flee, but your mind knows there is nothing to flee from, yet you can’t seem to control the storm within.
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When The Storm is Fierce
We’ve all experienced bouts of anxiety from time to time; not a pleasant experience, but for most people, the wave rides itself and then leaves them alone. However, for those tormented with regular or constant anxiety, it can feel like navigating through constant stormy waters, with waves of worry and unease crashing around them. It may feel like the storm within hijacks your nervous system, taking control of the Bridge and steering you into even more treacherous waters.
You may be left wondering if there are any effective techniques that can help calm your nervous system and put you back in the captain’s seat. Continue reading to discover effective ways to manage anxiety, regulate your nervous system and gain control over your panic attacks by learning how to manage them effectively.
Take control of your mental health and start living a more fulfilling life.
Understanding Anxiety and the Nervous System
Anxiety is one of those primal states of being a human, that I’m sure, most of us wish would disappear from our evolutionary gene pool. But anxiety is a natural stress response, designed to alert us to something not being quite right—often around perceived or actual danger. It’s Nature’s way of protecting us, by hijacking our nervous system and demanding our attention.
Great if there is actual danger, but when it gets stuck in activated mode, it becomes overwhelming and all-pervasive, leading to exhaustion and can directly impact our mental and emotional well-being.
The nervous system, broadly speaking, has two states: alert and calm. The autonomic nervous system is split into two—the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. And it’s these two systems that regulate the flow between alert and calm states. They operate together to maintain homeostasis within our bodies.
Think of the sympathetic nervous system as the alert- let’s fight/ flight mode and the parasympathetic as the chill, I’m ok now, relaxed mode. Obviously, this is a simplified description of a very complex balancing system, but this is where the nervous system can play a crucial role in the management of anxiety, to help alleviate symptoms and restore balance.
Techniques for Anxiety Management
Breathing Exercises
OK, you’re probably saying, great another person telling me to just breathe to relax! But bear with me and I’ll explain the reasons why breathing in a specific format can help calm your nervous system and turn off the anxiety-causing hormones.
Back to the autonomic nervous system; the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems both switch on and off during a breath cycle. When you inhale you activate the sympathetic nervous system and tone down the parasympathetic nervous system and vice versa when you exhale.
By deliberately slowly exhaling for longer than the in-breath, you switch your nervous system into the parasympathetic state for longer, and as mentioned that is the state in which you send a calming, relaxed signal to your body.
Anxiety causes you to take fast and shallow breaths, perpetuating the body’s sense of staying alert, and ready for action. This state keeps you amped up in the sympathetic state and causes your body to pump out biochemicals and hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, to ready you for action. While your body is in this state, it perceives that you need to remain hypervigilant for danger and keep your body filled with these ‘action’ hormones.
By focusing on slow exhales, you force your nervous system into the ‘relaxed’ state, thereby sending signals to your body, that you are safe now. With regular practice, you can extend the relaxed state for longer periods.
Let’s try it out now.
If you have a watch with a heart rate monitor (or you can do it the old-fashioned way and take your pulse) you can see in real-time the effect a breath has on your pulse.
Focus on taking a slow deep breath in—see if your heart rate goes up a few beats. Hold and now exhale slowly for double the inhale time (let’s say inhale to the count of 4—hold your breath for a few seconds and then exhale slowly to the count of 8) your heart rate should slow down for a few beats. If you want to see a bigger drop in your heart rate, on the exhale bear down, contracting your stomach muscles as though you’re letting one go. This is usually done in medical situations to drop the heart rate out of an abnormally fast heart rhythm, called the Valsalva manoeuvre.
**Disclaimer; not recommended to go around forcing your heart rate to drop dramatically, but it gives you the idea of the impact of how changing the way you breathe can affect your heart rate.
Grounding Techniques
Grounding techniques help anchor us in the present moment, diverting attention away from our anxious thoughts. Unless the present moment is filled with a scenario of stress-worthy attention (in which case, it’s perfectly normal to respond this way), you can use grounding techniques to focus your thoughts on your body in the here and now. By engaging the somatic (body) senses you can demonstrate to your nervous system that you are safe in the present moment.
Let's start by closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths using the longer, slow exhale technique that was mentioned earlier. Now, focus on your body and sense where it is in the space around you. If you're sitting, feel your buttocks on the chair and notice the pressure of the chair against your body. Next, pay attention to the bottom of your feet. Feel the floor beneath them, wiggle your toes, and become curious about how they move and feel inside your shoes. Keep paying attention to your different body parts and how they feel.
Then tune in and focus on what you can hear (you could put on some soothing, calming music). Work your way through your senses—what can you taste, smell, see etc. By focusing on engaging your senses in the present moment, you shift your focus away from your anxious thoughts and create a sense of calm and safety, signalling your body to stop pumping out the stress hormones. This allows your heart rate and breathing to slow down and helps alleviate muscle tension.
The practice of body awareness includes a technique known as the body scan. This technique requires you to concentrate on your body and notice any areas where you feel tension or pain. This process helps you to connect with those areas and gain a better understanding of your body's needs. Ultimately, this practice can help to alleviate discomfort and tension.
Mindfulness and Meditation
Mindfulness and Meditation are practices that help to cultivate present-moment awareness, similar to the body scan technique. Both practices aim to foster self-awareness by encouraging a curious, compassionate, and non-judgmental attitude towards the thoughts that arise in your mind.
Mindfulness involves being aware of your body, thoughts, and environment in the present moment. For instance, if you find yourself stuck in traffic and notice that you're getting stressed and angry, practising mindfulness can help you become aware of those feelings, step back, and observe how the situation is affecting you.
It's normal to experience physical and emotional reactions when feeling angry or frustrated. You may feel your hands clenching around the steering wheel, your jaw muscles tightening, your breathing getting faster and shallower, or your face becoming red and warm. You may also notice yourself saying or thinking angry words. Try to step back and observe these reactions without judging yourself. Remember, it's okay to feel angry, but it's important to manage your emotions in a healthy way. The first step is becoming mindful of when you do.
After you have taken a moment to notice how you are feeling and what you are thinking, try to focus on relaxing your muscles. Unclench your hands and jaw, and take a deep breath in and then slowly exhale. Change your body position and stretch your arms, neck, and any other areas that feel tight or uncomfortable. Pay attention to the music playing in the background and try singing along if you feel like it. Finally, take a moment to appreciate yourself for being present in the current moment.
Being mindful and using relaxation techniques such as breathing techniques, all help to regulate your nervous system. Having a regulated nervous system doesn’t stop you from going into stress or anger (etc) states, but it will enable you to engage in self-soothing activities to help calm you down and get you out of the stress response quicker.
Meditation is also an exercise in mindfulness, which includes focusing your attention on specific elements such as thoughts, chanting sounds like "Om," a candle's flame, or one's breath. The goal is to cultivate self-awareness, mental and emotional balance, and a calm, regulated nervous system.
One simple way to begin practising meditation is by using the breathing technique mentioned earlier. Start by closing your eyes and focusing on your breath. Pay attention to each cycle of inhaling and exhaling and count them if it helps. As thoughts come and go, don't try to control or suppress them. Instead, redirect your attention back to your breath. Practice this for a few minutes each day, and if needed, a few times throughout the day. Gradually increase the duration of your mindfulness practice as you become more comfortable with it.
You may also like to read...The Healing Canvas: Art Therapy at Home for Focus, Mindfulness and Emotional System Regulation
Regulating the Nervous System
Think of nervous system regulation like a tennis match. The back and forth between the sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) to keep balance within your body is similar to a tennis game. When one is activated the other waits for its turn to take over. The sympathetic NS takes action and hits the ball, while the parasympathetic NS waits for its turn and then takes action when it reaches its side and makes necessary adjustments to complete its move.
Being dysregulated would be when the sympathetic NS plays unfairly and keeps hogging the ball for themselves, or hits a crappy serve to the parasympathetic NS and it causes the parasympathetic NS to miss the ball or hit it back in the wrong, or incomplete way.
Now let’s pick up our mind rackets and explore a few more techniques to help regulate our nervous system.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation is another technique that nurtures the regulation of the nervous system. It involves slowly and systematically tensing and releasing different muscle groups throughout your body in a step-by-step process.
The process of tensing and then relaxing your muscles signals to your body that it is safe to let go and relax now.
It also allows for the completion of a muscle contraction and relaxation cycle. Often when emotions tense us up, we get stuck in the tension stage. Going through exercises that forcefully tense and then relax muscle groups, allows that muscle group to complete the cycle, allowing for the return of homeostasis.
Start with your toes and work your way up to the muscles in your face, pay attention to the sensations of tension and release. Fully invest in the tension stage to the point of shaking, then completely release the contraction, it should feel like a deep relaxing sigh from within.
Feeling angry and need a release, try these:
· Stand arm's length away from the wall, now push your hands into the wall as hard as you can, let out a growl, then relax your arms…repeat 5 times.
· Squeeze a stress ball, or throw it at a wall.
· Pull forcefully at an old sock, be vocal.
The aim here is to contract and release the tension within your body systematically.
Self-Care the Stress Buster
Self-care is not self-indulgent, it is self-preservation. By taking care of your own needs and well-being, you are then in a more balanced state to engage with your family, and friends and cope with work demands.
Prioritise activities that bring you calm and joy; try out that yoga or tai chi class that caught your attention. Go for a walk in nature, stop and smell the roses, or whatever flower crosses your path. Start that journaling practice you have been meaning to do and take a relaxing bubble bath. Schedule it in your diary if you have to. Let your family know that this is your ‘Me’ time; at first, they may be like, ‘What the heck’, but they’ll get used to it and come to appreciate you for it. If not, do it anyway; find a way that suits your life and family dynamics.
By consistently honouring your own needs, you affirm that you are worthy of all the good stuff in life and this promotes a sense of balance and peace within, which also helps regulate the nervous system.
Transform your home into a therapeutic haven with these techniques that are not only fun but also effective!
Binaural Beats & Meditation by Ennora
Panic Attacks: The Mightiest of Storms Within
Imagine you're walking through a shopping centre one day, and you suddenly catch a familiar scent. While your mind may not think much of it, your body and subconscious are triggered, causing your heart to race irregularly. Your hands and legs tremble, and you feel like you're about to lose control and collapse. You're breathing rapid, shallow breaths causing you to hyperventilate, which only intensifies the feeling in your body.
Sweat beads sprout across your forehead and your armpits start to tingle, oozing sweat. This is it; you’re dying. You feel disconnected and your pupils dilate, causing your vision to become laser-focused, scanning the environment for the ominous threat lurking.
And you wait for the end to arrive, or the threat to attack.
But you don’t die and there is no threat. You just had your first panic attack and it was vicious and overwhelming, leaving you feeling exhausted and perplexed, praying it never happens again.
Scientists have theorised about the potential causes leading to the body's response to feeling overwhelming sensations of panic. These causes may include genetic predisposition, major life stressors or trauma, maladaptive changes in the brain, and excessive use of smoking, caffeine, or illicit stimulants.
The physiological changes seem to be the same for everyone, despite the triggers being unique to the individual. Something in your body or mind is silently triggered, signalling the alarm for danger.
The primal survival mechanism of fear is triggered when a threat is perceived.
This mechanism involves your brain, specifically the amygdala and hypothalamus, which activate your autonomic nervous system. As a result, your bodily functions such as heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure are altered. Additionally, your adrenal glands are signalled to release cortisol and adrenaline, chemical messengers that activate your body's survival reflexes in preparation for responding to the threat.
Generally known as the fight/flight/freeze/fawn response.
So, how do we combat primal survival mechanisms within our brains and bodies?
Firstly, identifying you are having a panic attack and not something medical. It’s always wise to seek medical assistance if ever in doubt. It’s better to be told, ‘You’re fine, it’s a panic attack’ than it being a heart attack and not do anything about it. Look out for additional symptoms that may warrant concern; chest, shoulder, jaw, or back pain.
If you’re not noticing anything alarming, then talk yourself into acknowledging you are having a panic attack and use the body scan technique to identify how your body is responding in the moment.
Use your conscious mind to talk your way through it…’Ok, I’m safe, my heart is racing and I’m trembling because of the adrenaline being pumped through my bloodstream…Keep explaining what you’re feeling in a way that brings your thinking brain to the party. Your thinking brain is the gateway to conscious control.
You may also need to try some of these techniques to help tame the wild ride within:
· Shake your hands or body to release the pent-up energy from your body.
· Focus on your breath. Do the 4 slow breaths in, hold for a few seconds and then breathe out slowly to the count of 8.
· Ground yourself in the present moment; feel your body, what can you see, smell, taste and see?
· Gently and compassionately reassure your body and mind that you are safe in the present moment.
The wave should ride itself in 10-15 minutes. If not please seek help
This overwhelming point in your life may be the trigger to begin your journey to becoming a 'Mind Archeologist'. You may feel compelled to delve into your past and confront the root causes of your triggers. It is recommended that you seek appropriate support to aid in your healing process, and also consult with your general family doctor to rule out any medical or chemical contributing factors.
Final Thoughts
Effective anxiety management and nervous system regulation are crucial to finding peace and well-being. You don’t need to be at the mercy of the ‘storm within’, and by incorporating techniques such as deep breathing, grounding, mindfulness and self-care, you can navigate the storm with greater resilience and calmness.
Just remember though, everyone’s journey is unique and it may take some time and trial and error to find the right strategy that will work best for you. Be patient with yourself and seek professional support when needed. With regular practice and perseverance, you can cultivate a sense of inner calm and regain control of the ‘Storm Within’.
Best of luck getting through the storm 😊
Starlah Rose
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© 2024 Starlah Rose
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