What’s the opposite of Fight or Flight?
And how can I get a shot of it!!!
I woke up the morning of Daylight Savings realizing I was out of coffee beans. Ahh!!! Needless to say, when I finally got my morning joe I savored that first sip like it was a long lost treasure. But as I cupped my hands around the warmth and savored that first sip of alertness, I realized something. This was my first sip. The caffeine hadn’t kicked in yet. So why was I suddenly so satisfyingly alert?
Science calls it Relaxation Response. It’s basically the opposite of “fight or flight”. It’s when our body gets a shot of chemicals that instantly slows down our sympathetic nervous system (heart rate, breathing, muscle tension…) and activates our parasympathetic nervous system (digestion, sleep/awake cycle, immune function…)
So how do we get this quick shot? Science suggests that first sip of coffee works because we are remembering/visualizing a full body experience. And it works for other full body experiences as well. Studies show that simply hearing a campfire or ocean waves slows down our blood pressure, even if we never feel warmth or touch sand. It gets even better! Dr. Herbert Benson, the doctor who coined the term Relaxation Response, is the same doctor who is largely credited for demystifying meditation and helping to bring it into mainstream practice. Yes, daily meditation is also a powerful way of getting a shot of Relaxation Response.
It’s hard to find the motivation to exercise during low energy weeks. But both hiking and yoga are full body experiences - sound, smell, warmth. So now that I know the science, I’m going to get myself one of those shots of Relaxation Response! I’m going to sit by a sunny window to remind my brain how amazing it feels when I’m halfway through a hike. Or take a whiff of the essential oil used during my yoga savasana.
That first sip of Daylight Savings coffee gave me two gifts - a shot of Relaxation Response and the curiosity to do some research as to why.
Until next time,
Laura
Want more?
Using Muscle Memory for Mental Health (yogatrailtalks)
Gathering Up Peace - but not for the reason you may think (yogatrailtalks)
