Effective stress relief tools bring us out of the Fight- Flight-Freeze Response
Acute stress can instantly affect us physically and mentally because when we get stressed the nervous system sets off a chain reaction in the body known as the fight-flight-freeze response. This is an ancient protective mechanism that redirects blood flow so that tissues not necessary for physical survival (the creative and logical thinking areas of the brain, skin and digestive system) are deprived of full blood supply in favour of the tissues necessary for immediate survival (the muscles and the more primitive areas of the brain).
Any stress can be interpreted as mortal danger and set of this chain reaction affecting blood flow, nerve conduction and release of adrenaline and cortisol. This is fine if we are really in a situation where we need to run or fight but this is rarely the case. Our body can stay in this heightened state creating chronic stress and anxiety for the body and the mind. When we are chronically stressed we operate a fear based mind-set (as our creative thinking processes are subdued due to lack of blood supply and nerve stimulation) and more of life is perceived as threatening to us, creating a vicious cycle of escalating stress.
By using stress relief tools such as Thymus Tapping and Emotional Stress Release we can help to change his outdated response to our everyday lives.
THYMUS TAPPING
Tapping the area over your thymus gland is a simple technique that can;
Stimulate and harmonise your body’s energy systems
Increase your sense of wellbeing and vitality
Balance the nervous system by bringing you out of the fight-flight- freeze response into the rest and restore response governed by the parasympathetic nervous system.
Your thymus gland lies immediately beneath the breastbone at the level of the heart. It is the link between the body and the mind and is the first organ to be affected by any emotional, physical or mental stress. It can shrink to half it’s size within 24 hours of a major trauma, and will gradually contract from any ongoing stress causing it to work inefficiently.
Having a healthy thymus gland is essential for health. It has been thought for thousands of years to be the seat of our life energy, and acts as the controller of energy flowing through our meridian system, monitoring and regulating energy flow. If our thymus is weak energy flowing through the meridians will also be weak and energy imbalances and blockages are likely to occur, causing further physical and emotional imbalances.
use all eight fingers and tap your sternum from 30 seconds, up to several minutes. until you feel calmer. Often an automatic very deep inhale and exhale will occur, or a deep sigh or yawning to signify a shift in the nervous system as the parasympathetic nervous system takes over.
It is beneficial to do this whenever you are feeling overwhelmed or before you go into any challenging situation.
EMOTIONAL STRESS RELEASE [ESR]
Helps to reduce feelings of stress
Releases tension from the body-mind
Interrupts the ‘fight-flight/freeze’ response
Brings blood to the forebrain so you can think more clearly
re- educates the nervous system so we can experience more of life from a calm state
ESR involves holding five reflex points two at the temples, two at the frontal eminences – these are two points on the forehead halfway between the eyes and the hairline, and the anterior fontanelle, or baby soft spot – this is on the top of the head in the centre and level with the ears.
Holding these Neuro Vascular reflexes helps to normalise blood flow and nervous stimulation to the whole brain particularly the frontal cortex concerned with rational and creative thinking. Using this technique regularly over time helps to retrain our stress response so the fight flight response is only stimulated in extreme circumstances.
The easiest way to hold these points on yourself is to have your thumbs on your temples, ring fingers on your frontal eminences (forehead) and your index or middle finger on the anterior fontanelle (top of head)
Hold these points whilst you think about what is stressing you, (bringing in all your senses what do you see, hear, smell, think, feel.) or before you go into any stressful situation.
Rate your level of stress from 0-10. (0 being no stress and 10 being unbearable) before and after using ESR.