The Mind/Body Connection
Why is our nervous system important to our mental health?
Understanding the
Nervous System
The nervous system is a remarkable network of nerves and specialized cells called neurons, responsible for transmitting signals throughout the body. Think of it as the body's electrical wiring, coordinating every action, thought, and feeling.
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The Structure of the Nervous System
The nervous system has two primary components:
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Central Nervous System (CNS): Includes the brain, spinal cord, and nerves, serving as the command center of the body.
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Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): Composed of sensory neurons and nerves that connect the CNS to the rest of the body.
Within these components, the nervous system is further divided into two key subdivisions:
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Somatic Nervous System (Voluntary): Connects the brain and spinal cord to muscles and sensory receptors in the skin, enabling conscious control over movement and sensation.
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Autonomic Nervous System (Involuntary): Regulates essential functions like blood pressure, breathing, and heartbeat—processes that occur without conscious effort.
Dysregulated Nervous System
When we talk about a dysregulated nervous system, we are referring specifically to the autonomic nervous system. This dysregulation can lead to unconscious patterns that influence our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors through automatic responses.
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The Autonomic Nervous System: Two Key Players
The autonomic nervous system is divided into two complementary systems:
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Sympathetic Nervous System (Fight or Flight): Prepares the body to respond to danger by increasing alertness, energy, and readiness for action.
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Parasympathetic Nervous System (Rest and Digest): Helps the body recover, regenerate, and perform essential functions like digestion.
Both systems are vital for maintaining balance and ensuring our safety. Together, they regulate our ability to respond to stress and recover from it, promoting overall well-being.
Nervous System Breakdown!
1 / Symptoms of a dysregulated nervous system
A dysregulated nervous system can cause mental health symptoms such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, exhaustion, memory issues, brain fog, irritability, inability to focus, etc.
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It can lead to over-reacting (outbursts, tantrums, anger) or under reaction (passivity, withdrawal, shutting down) towards people, events and situations.
2 / Causes of a dysregulated nervous system
A dysregulated nervous system can cause mental health symptoms such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, exhaustion, memory issues, brain fog, irritability, inability to focus, etc.
Psycho-spiritual factors:
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psychological trauma
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chronic stress
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addictive substances
Lifestyle-behavioral factors:
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difficult economic/environmental factors
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difficult social circumstances
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big life change such as death, divorce, pregnancy
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Biochemical factors:
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toxicity (mold, heavy metals)
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infections (Lyme disease, bartonella)
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Gut issues (the gut is our second brain!)
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inflammation (causes disease!)
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It can lead to over-reacting (outbursts, tantrums, anger) or under reaction (passivity, withdrawal, shutting down) towards people, events and situations.
3 / Consequences of a dysregulated nervous system
A dysregulated nervous system can cause mental health symptoms such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, poor attention and poor memory, but can also lead to behaviours which are unhelpful to living a healthy, balanced life, and cause:
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Difficult relationships, whether with colleagues, partners, friends or family
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Poor life choices (such as indulging in addictive substances or behaviours) due to trying to avoid the discomfort we feel from our nervous system dysregulation and ensuing mental health symptoms
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Acting in ways which are short-sighted, unhealthy and destructive to ourselves and others because our thoughts and behaviours are ruled by our limbic system (the more primitive, emotional, reflexive part of the brain) rather than our prefrontal cortex (the more rational, executive, organised and planning function of the brain)