How The Parasympathetic Nervous System (PSNS) Influences Your Mental Health

Have you ever heard of the “rest and digest” system of your body? It is the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS), which is central to managing stress, relaxation, recovery and maintaining mental and physical health of an individual. Let us understand the PSNS system and how it impacts your mental health better.

The Rest and Digest System

The parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) is simply called the rest and digest system because it facilitates bodily functions that occur when the body is at rest, such as digestion, energy conservation, tissue repair and healing processes. When the PSNS is activated, it slows the heart rate and promotes a sense of calm and by facilitating the bodily functions for rest, it helps maintain a balanced mood and reduces anxiety levels.

A main component of the PSNS is the vagus nerve – the longest cranial nerve in the body. Vagus nerve stimulation includes techniques (invasive and non-invasive) that can be used on a daily basis to induce relaxation and reduce stress, anxiety in the body. 

Parasympathetic Nervous System and Mental Health

 The PSNS is a branch of the autonomic nervous system responsible for conserving energy and promoting relaxation, as opposed to the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which triggers the fight or flight response in stressful situations. The SNS responds to a stressful or threatening situation, and after that the PSNS brings the body back to a state of calm and rest.

Now, if you are facing prolonged or chronic stress, it will lead to prolonged activation of the sympathetic nervous system – resulting in high levels of cortisol in your body and reduced PSNS activity. Chronic stress and nervous system can greatly influence your health and well-being.

This reduced PSNS activity would create an imbalance in your body and impair the body’s ability to relax or recover. The imbalance can lead to many issues like anxiety, depression, psychological distress, digestive problems, etc. Over time, chronic stress can desensitize the PSNS to such an extent that makes it harder for the body to return to a state of calm.This helps us understand how the chronic stress and nervous system influence our health.

Heart Rate Variability and Anxiety: The Balance Between the Systems

 Heart rate variability (HRV) refers to the variation in time between heartbeats. A higher HRV means a healthy balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, while a lower HRV is associated with stress and anxiety. It is important to monitor the HRV to understand your stress levels and overall autonomic nervous system function.

Understanding heart rate variability in relation to anxiety and depression is important for the process of monitoring and intervention as lower HRV has been linked to increased risk of anxiety and depression. HRV can be improved however, through lifestyle changes and vagus nerve stimulation to help reduce stress and improve mental health outcomes.

How Chronic Stress Affects the Parasympathetic Nervous System

 If you experience chronic stress, it can supress PSNS activity. If your PSNS is not functioning optimally, you can face trouble in switching off stress and making it harder for your body to recover. It can lead to and burnout, chronic tension, anxiety, depression, a difficulty in relaxing, emotional reactivity, fatigue, brain fog, sleep issues and digestion issues. As there is a major role of the parasympathetic nervous system in emotional balance, it helps in regulating emotions, build resilience and maintain an emotional balance or stability.

Techniques to Stimulate the Vagus Nerve for Mental Well-Being 

Vagus nerve stimulation works by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, promotes relaxation and recovery and reduces stress.

There are several evidence-based techniques to stimulate the vagus nerve for mental well-being that are non-invasive:

• Deep breathing exercises such as slow, diaphragmatic or belly breathing
• Humming, singing, chanting (for example, OM), and gargling water
• Splashing cold water on your face, dunking face in a bowl of ice, cold shower or holding an ice pack against your face
• Meditation combined with breathing
• Regular aerobic activity or physical exercise
• Massage areas such as head, neck or feet
• Hearty laughter and social connections
• Exhaling forcefully while pinching your nose and closing your mouth
• Yoga and breath control activities

These techniques are safe and can be practiced at home for vagus nerve stimulation.

Lifestyle Changes to Support Parasympathetic Nervous System Function

 Lifestyle changes are necessary to foster PSNS activity and maintain overall physical and mental health, such as:

• Following a balanced diet
• Ensuring you get adequate and restful sleep
• Regular meditation or mindfulness exercises
• Engaging in physical activity or exercise regularly
• Making and maintaining positive social interactions
• Reducing caffeine and alcohol intake

To conclude, it is important to understand and nurture your parasympathetic nervous system as it is crucial for your mental health and an exceptional tool in dealing with stress. If you or someone you know is dealing with chronic stress, you can incorporate practices and techniques that stimulate the vagus nerve and adopt lifestyle changes that support the parasympathetic nervous system function in order to manage stress more effectively and promote emotional balance. Alternatively, you can reach out to a therapist near me or psychologist near me to help you overcome said challenges and aid your mental health recovery journey.

 At North America Behavioral Health Services, we believe in empowering you with resources that help you deal with stress and manage your mental health properly. Reach out to us for any help and get connected to experts who can help you out!