Calm down with Meditation

Similar to life, meditation can be a constant cycle of stillness and busyness, forgetting and remembering, each time aiming to return to the breath to let go of mental distraction. The benefits of meditation are widely documented, but not so much is their relation to our autonomic nervous system, or more specifically, our parasympathetic nervous system (our ‘rest, relax and digest’ response). It is likely that if more people knew how meditation activates this side of our nervous system, they may be more inclined to make meditation a part of their daily lives.

So, what is our autonomic nervous system?

The autonomic nervous system is the branch of the nervous system that carries out the vital functions of the heart, lungs, circulatory system, and glandular system without our conscious control. It is further divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The sympathetic nervous system helps the body gear up for physical exertion, and is part of our survival mechanism (fight, flight, freeze response) when we perceive danger. The parasympathetic nervous system does much of the opposite work; that is, it decreases heart rate, and blood pressure, preparing the body for rest, sleep, or digestion.

How do we activate our ‘rest and relax’ response through meditation?

Stimulation of one of these branches occurs without our conscious awareness through our activities (sleeping, eating, exercising) or through our mental processes (having stressful thoughts or calm thoughts). A way to activate our ‘rest and digest’ response is by lengthening our exhale. By doing so, our heart rate is lowered and this sends a message to the brain that all is safe and well.

Hence, if you are trying to calm yourself down it is imperative that you focus on making your exhales nice and long. Try inhaling to the count of 3, and exhaling to the count of 4.

How do I make meditation part of my everyday life?

The key to maintaining any habit is making it a priority and being consistent. A way in which I incorporate meditation into my everyday life as a busy working mum, is by giving myself 5 minutes before my work day to meditate; this helps to ground me prior to seeing my clients. On my days off work, and particularly if I am feeling emotionally and/or mentally overwhelmed, I will spend 30 minutes listening to a guided meditation- there are many apps and Youtube videos that can help.