Massage News - Articles of Interest
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We are now hitting the time period where everyone starts to slip on their over ambitious New Year’s Resolutions. If you happen to be one of those overzealous resolution setters and are finding your goals starting to slide a little, we have the perfect resolution tweak that is very achievable and rewarding at the same time - Daily Practical Self-Care.
The act of nourishing and caring for your inner feelings and emotions is known as emotional self-care. Taking care of your entire self, including your emotional life, is more crucial than ever in the demanding environment we live in today. You may reduce stress, calm your nervous system, cope with difficult situations, and improve your mood by nurturing your emotions and processing any persistently negative ones.  The phrase "self-care'' is used all the time. It is sometimes represented as an indulgent activity that involves buying expensive skin care products or other presents for yourself. That might be a component of someone's self-care, but it's actually more simple and more complex than that. Self-care is a conscious action we take to look after our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The practice of self-care is not inherently selfish; it is essential to our well-being and comes in a variety of ways.  These days, self-care is talked about so frequently that it is difficult to even determine why we adore using the term so much. Reading a nice book and going to the spa aren't the only forms of self-care. It is so much more than that. So what exactly is it, and why is it so important?  Your brainstem, neck, and belly are all connected by the vagus nerve. Its primary job is to control your heart and breathing rates as well as digestion. When it's active, it will reduce your body's physiological reaction to stress, helping you to feel calmer. The good news, then? You can perform particular exercises to stimulate your vagus nerve.  “Tonic” refers to a state of continuous activity that exists in both the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous systems under a wide variety of conditions. Strictly defined, “autonomic” or “autonomous” signifies independence or freedom from control by external forces.  The Latin word "vagus" means "wanderer," which appropriately describes how the nerve travels throughout the body and connects to various organs. The vagus nerve is also an important part of the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps you rest and digest. It has an impact on your respiration, digestion, and heart rate, all of which have a significant impact on your mental health.  The last couple years have had an impact on all of our lives and, for many of us, have resulted in heightened levels of stress in numerous areas. Because stress may have a negative impact on both your physical and emotional health, finding ways to manage it should be a priority. We can use a variety of techniques to help manage stress, improve healing, reduce discomfort, and control our nervous system for a lower stress response.
Well, it could kind of be like a vacation, I guess... While many may venture to Las Vegas for fun, relaxation, and to de-stress themselves, your vagus nerve is actually your own secret weapon in fighting stress and the effects of stress without the expense and time off required to go to Las Vegas or any vacation for that matter. We are going to take time to delve into what exactly your vagus nerve is and how it impacts your body, and most importantly, how you can tap into this 'weapon' and combat stress more naturally.
The vagus nerve is the longest and most complex of the 12 pairs of cranial nerves. It transmits information to or from the surface of the brain to tissues and organs elsewhere in the body. The name “vagus” comes from the Latin term for “wandering.” This is because the vagus nerve wanders from the brain into organs in the neck, chest, and abdomen. It is also known as the 10th cranial nerve or cranial nerve X. |
