From Survival Mode to Thriving: Hacking Your Neurobiology for Success using Polyvagal Theory with Dr. Stephen Porges
Jan 30, 2024
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Dr. Stephen Porges, founder of Polyvagal Theory, discusses the impact of feeling safe on well-being, social bonds, and self-regulation. He explores stress responses in mammals, social cues, and autonomic regulation. The conversation delves into creating safe protocols for calmness, understanding reflex responses in the body, and reactions to blood loss.
Polyvagal Theory emphasizes social engagement's impact on nervous system pathways and physiological states.
The pandemic has reshaped our nervous systems, altering responses to social interactions and work stress.
Music interventions like safe and sound protocol and rest and restore use music to trigger signals of safety and enhance autonomic regulation.
Deep dives
Understanding Polyvagal Theory and its Impact in Everyday Life
Polyvagal theory explores how our physiological state impacts our behavior. It delves into the neural regulation that defines our physiological state, highlighting the different pathways our nervous system can take. The theory focuses on the newest vagal circuit, linked to social engagement, and reflects how our facial expressions and intonation influence our body's response. By being 'polyvagal informed,' individuals can have awareness of others' physiological states, guiding interactions effectively.
The Impact of the Pandemic on Nervous Systems
The onset of the pandemic reshaped our nervous systems, as social interactions became signals of threat rather than safety. This shift led to a paradoxical challenge, affecting individuals who previously thrived in social environments. People experienced a reconfiguration of their nervous systems, adapting to a new normal. The sensory content of workspaces and the sensory overload in offices can amplify stress and impact individual responses.
Musical Interventions for Neural Regulation and Calmness
Music interventions like the safe and sound protocol aim to trigger ventral vagal signals of safety. Another musical modality called rest and restore focuses on initiating signals of safety to the organs below the diaphragm. These interventions use music composed to communicate with the autonomic nervous system, promoting calmness and enhancing flexibility in regulating bodily states.
Heart Rate Variability and Neural Regulation
Exploring heart rate variability reveals individual differences in neural regulation tied to the vagus nerve. Dr. Porges highlights the importance of accurately measuring neural signals to understand autonomic flexibility. Heart rate variability reflects the rhythmic variations in heart rate, offering insights into the body's physiological state and its ability to adapt to changing demands.
Adaptive Responses and Vasovagal Syncope
Vasovagal syncope triggers a response in the nervous system to slow the pumping of blood, potentially causing fainting. This adaptive mechanism safeguards individuals in situations of blood loss or perceived threats. Understanding the sensory pathways and reflexes associated with vasovagal syncope sheds light on the body's intricate responses to various stimuli.
Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. is Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. He is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, and Professor Emeritus at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland.
Since Stephen Porges first proposed the Polyvagal Theory in 1994, its basic idea―that the level of safety we feel impacts our health and happiness―has radically shifted how researchers and clinicians approach trauma interventions and therapeutic interactions. Yet despite its wide acceptance, most of the information on the topic has been obscured behind clinical texts and scientific jargon. In this episode we talk with the founder of Polyvagal Theory, Dr. Stephen Porges, to better understand how to master our autonomic nervous system for health and happiness.