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Therapy in a Nutshell

How to Turn on the Parasympathetic Response to Calm Anxiety: Day 22 of Break the Anxiety Cycle

Feb 22, 2024
Learn how to activate your parasympathetic response and strengthen vagal tone to calm anxiety. Discover techniques like breathing exercises, laughter, and cold water exposure. Explore the impact of chronic anxiety on the nervous system and effective ways to manage stress and enhance relaxation.
20:07

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Quick takeaways

  • Practical strategies to activate the parasympathetic response and strengthen vagal tone are crucial for regulating the nervous system and reducing anxiety.
  • Facing fears and challenges directly helps transition from the anxiety response to the parasympathetic response, promoting relaxation and overall well-being.

Deep dives

Understanding the Autonomic Nervous System Imbalance

The podcast delves into the concept of an autonomic nervous system imbalance that often results from prolonged periods of anxiety or stress. This imbalance is characterized by a heightened activation of the sympathetic response, the fight-flight-freeze instinct, which overshadows the parasympathetic response responsible for relaxation. Practical strategies are introduced to activate and enhance the parasympathetic response, emphasizing the importance of strengthening one's vagal tone to regulate the nervous system effectively and return to a state of calm.

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