5 WAYS TO CALM THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
Alarmingly, 30% to 50% of the adult population exhibit some symptoms of insomnia [1].
1. Adequate SLEEP
Our modern culture of “work hard & play harder” has conditioned us to glorify a life that focuses on maximising productivity instead of quality and balance. Restorative sleep had become the sacrificial offering to this modern-day belief, practice and way of life.
Adding to this disruption of restorative sleep is the fear that has been amplified by the news from the mainstream media. War, viral outbreaks, price rise, food shortages are ongoing news that is stimulating our sympathetic nervous system - the fight, flight and freeze mode has been activated.
Long-term sleep disruption has been associated with significantly lower levels of parasympathetic activity and increased sympathetic activity stimulating the release of stress hormones which can be harmful with long-term exposure [1].
The feeling of that never-ending daytime energy and the ability to keep you on the go, that is adrenaline and noradrenaline. The main hormones that are used by the sympathetic nervous system to promote active body movement, alertness, and arousal. Increased circulation within the body may disrupt sleep onset [2].
As few as three nights of sleep disruption in slow-wave sleep (a deep sleep stage), clearance of glucose is markedly decreased without the compensated increase in insulin secretion [3]. A detrimental effect on our red blood cells where glycation can occur (the attachment of glucose to a protein) and cause loss of protein function, increasing oxidative damage within tissues, and the acceleration of aging [7].
Poor sleep quality has been associated with loss of concentration, memory, and performance, reduced immune function, and mental illness. It has also been associated with increased risk for diabetes, cardiovascular problems, and even cancer, the top ten global causes of disease in 2019 [1,2, 7].
Is that the price we, as a society, are willing to pay?
The current statistics seem to indicate this trend.
While there is no perfect number for the amount of sleep for every person, the general rule for an adult range between seven to nine hours per night [9].
Practical tools to induce quality sleep:
1. Slow breathing increase vagal tone resulting in improved sleep quality and stabilising the hyper-aroused tone to a calmer state. It has also been shown to support melatonin production [3]. Increased comfort, relaxation, pleasantness, vigor and alertness, and reduced symptoms of arousal, anxiety, depression, anger, and confusion are psychological benefits associated with slow breathing [4].
6 breaths per minute were found to be optimal for improving alveolar ventilation and increasing arterial oxygen saturation [5].
2. Cardiorespiratory synchronisation: interaction in which the heart rate and breathing pattern synchronise. Directly associated with an increase in parasympathetic tone during non-REM sleep.
Meditation has been shown to foster a high degree of cardiorespiratory synchronisation [3].
3. Acupuncture: has a direct effect on peripheral nerves and muscles modulating the autonomic nervous system [2].
4. Natural sunlight exposure experienced outside of buildings at high intensity through the eyes, has been shown to advance sleep timing to earlier hours, affect the duration of sleep and improve sleep quality. Late-night exposure to light had more disrupted sleep and less slow-wave sleep (a deep sleep stage) due to the suppression of melatonin production which is responsible for initiating sleep onset [6]. Limiting light exposure or dimming indoor lights at the end of the day is a great way to support melatonin production for the preparation for sleep.
Other obvious ways include a suitable and comfortable bed and pillow for your body, a quiet and dark bedroom, and adequate ventilation.
There are many non-invasive and cost-effective strategies to support a good night’s sleep.
Many can be implemented straight away. Stacking each habit has a compounding effect.
Willingness & effort is the driving force for success. And the positive health implications are vast.
Improving the quality of our sleep, then, should be one of the main pillars we should prioritise to support the nervous system.
This is part 1 of the 5 series for ways to calm the nervous system.
Part 2….Grounding/Earthing
Reference:
R. Jareth et al (2019). Self-Regulation of breathing as an adjunctive treatment of insomnia. Frontiers in Psychiatry, Sleep Disorders. PMID: 3076103
W. Huang et al (2011). Autonomic activation in insomnia: The case for Acupuncture. Journal of Sleep Medicine. PMID: 21344045
Derk-Jan Dijk (2008). Slow-wave sleep, diabetes and the sympathetic nervous system. PNAS. PMID: 18212114
A. Zaccaro et al (2018). How breath-control can change your life: A systematic review on pycho-physiological correlates of slow breathing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. PMID: 30245619
M.A Russo et al (2017). The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human. Breathe. PMID: 29209423
C. Blume et al (2019). Effects of light on human circadian rhythm, sleep and mood. Somnologie. PMID: 31534436
World Health Organization. (2020). The top 10 causes of death.
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/the-top-10-causes-of-deathChan-Sik Kim et al (2017). The role of glycation in the pathogenesis of aging and its prevention through herbal products and physical exercise. Journal of Exercise Nutrition and Biochemistry. PMID: 29036767
J.P Chaput et al (2018). Sleeping hours: what is the ideal number and how does age impact this? Nature and Science of Sleep. PMID: 30568521
