Summer Vacation Isn’t Just for Kids
When talking about my upcoming vacation with friends and co-workers, people asked where I was going. “Just a few day trips in the area,” I replied.
Whether you need to get away and have an adventure, or, like me, you just need a few days without an agenda to explore some local fun spots, taking measures to increase your time in a relaxed state is essential to combat daily stressors.
There are several things you can do to put yourself into a parasympathetic state, even if you aren’t able to take a vacation. My favorites, all of which I practiced during my time off, include:
Spending time in nature
Exercising to an extent that it feels good
Receiving craniosacral therapy
Practicing yoga, including meditation and deep breathing
Spending time with my pets
Getting immersed in a hobby or project
Some of these things were ingrained in me since childhood. I never knew why being outside playing in the yard or going to summer camp were so enjoyable when I was younger. As I got a little older, I didn’t know why I felt so good after a yoga class or going on a short jog. Then, when I did my yoga teacher training, I learned more about the autonomic nervous system.
Stressors and stimuli in daily life engage the sympathetic nervous system, which is often referred to as ‘fight or flight’. Adrenaline levels increase and blood is channeled to the parts of the body where it is needed to take action. Ideally, those stressors don’t last long, and the parasympathetic nervous system comes back on line to ‘rest and digest’ or do the things that help maintain organ function and keep us in a healthy state. In modern life, we can experience a high number of stressful events back to back and not have enough down time in between.
If the scales are tipped out of balance due to modern stressors in life, taking a little extra time to dedicate to being in the parasympathetic state might be just what you need. Find some time to engage in your favorite activity from the list above, or choose one of my recorded yoga classes here.