Identifying and understanding the range of inputs related to the pursuit of nervous system balance is important to facilitate our practice.
For more information about integrating the framework of complementary healthcare into clinical practice to manage metabolic syndrome, reduce chronic inflammation and chronic stress, and improve health, visit www.buoyhealthcare.com.
To learn more, including about biologically complementary coaching for healthcare professionals and others in high demand domains, please visit www.darindavidson.com.
Dr. Darin Davidson partners with Learner+, a CME/CE reflective learning platform for healthcare providers. For the opportunity to reflect on this article and earn CME/CE credits, Launch here. Check out all past articles which are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits.
For downloadable, actionable strategies and tactics to leverage biology in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance, visit the resource store, Launch here. Chapters are arranged by topic so those of interest can be selected and each are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits through Learner+.
Recent articles have described the framework underlying complementary health. In particular, the importance of placing focus and attention on the output of interest, nervous system balance, has been described. The previous article provided a philosophical framework illustrating the importance of understanding the scientific basis for our practices. This article further expands upon these concepts through the identification of the inputs of interest and the relationship with the output of interest.
Throughout this article series, there has been description of the various psychological and physiological skills and tools which comprise the framework of complementary health. The various inputs are implemented through regular strategies and tactics in order to improve our overall nervous system balance. By enhancing this attribute, we are best positioned to pursue health, quality of life, and performance.
The range of inputs can be broadly classified into psychological and physiological categories. The physiological inputs can be further subdivided into system-based and cellular-based methods. By developing an understanding not only of the inputs themselves, but the means by which they contribute to the output of nervous system balance, we are best positioned to optimize our practices and, thereby, more fully and comprehensively pursue health, quality of life, and performance.
The broad category of psychological skills comprises both cognitive skills and tools, as well as our overall emotional state. It is clear that these are not distinct categories, but rather strongly influence each other, especially the impact of psychological skills on our emotional state. Our overall emotional state can be thought of as reflective of our overall mental and psychological wellbeing. The cognitive skills are more specific in their identification and application. These include skills such as focus and attention, refocusing and redirecting our attention, confidence, self-talk, optimism, mindset, and reframing.
When we consider our overall emotional state, it is clear how this directly contributes towards health and quality of life. When we are in a positive or “good“ emotional state, there are clear benefits to our overall nervous system balance. This often emerges from anchored and grounded biological states. Conversely, when we are feeling in a suboptimal emotional state, it can be difficult to orient our overall activities towards nervous system balance. In particular, suboptimal emotional states are often emergent properties from biological state shifts into protective and defensive states. This understanding provides insight into the reality that our degree of nervous system balance can feed back into our inputs, thereby creating a loop and self-reinforcing cycle.
The cognitive skills noted above have been discussed and described throughout this article series. Recently there has been specific discussion regarding the availability of these skills when we have shifted into protective and defensive states. To summarize, when we have shifted into these states, it is often the case that the effectiveness of our cognitive skills will be significantly reduced. This is on account of the neurophysiological changes which result from sympathetic nervous system activation. As a result, it is important to not only identify when we have shifted into protective and defensive states, but also to recognize that when such state shifts have occurred, we must utilize physiological skills in order to shift back to anchored and grounded states. The mind-based skills can then be reintroduced and utilized. From anchored and grounded states, the cognitive skills can be extremely beneficial and powerful in further strengthening our anchored and grounded states. This is a significant contributor to overall nervous system balance.
When we consider the large category of physiological skills, it is important to recognize that this comprises two important subdivisions. The first is systems-based skills and the second is cellular health. In particular, within the system-based category, there are additional subcategories which are important to identify. As with the two components of the psychological skills, the various physiological skills are not independent of each other. Rather, they influence each other in a bidirectional fashion.
Within the category of systems-based skills and tools, the most commonly utilized methods include breathwork, physical activity, muscle tension and posture, use of voice, and social connection. It should be noted that the method of social connection is not strictly a physiological one, but also has important psychological considerations. Within the category of breathwork, the mechanics and pattern with which we breathe can influence shifts in our biological state. We can utilize breathing patterns with prolonged exhalation to promote shifts towards anchored and grounded states. Patterns with prolonged inhalation tend to result in shifts towards sympathetic nervous activation, thereby increasing energy and resource mobilization. With respect to physical activity, this can be utilized to shift towards sympathetic nervous system activation or away from it, depending on the nature of the activity. Muscle tone, posture, and use of voice can also be utilized to shift our biological state in the desired direction.
The consideration of cellular health is important. This includes immune system related issues, hormonal balance, and from a metabolic perspective, mitochondrial health. When these physiological systems are functioning in their optimal manner, they contribute towards enhanced nervous system balance. However, when these are in suboptimal states, there will be shifts away from anchored and grounded states and towards protective and defensive states. It is important to note that changes in our overall nervous system balance can also influence cellular health considerations. For instance, increased and persistent sympathetic nervous system activation can lead to deleterious function of the mitochondria. This can create a feedback loop in which there is further shift into protective and defensive states on account of altered mitochondrial function. This can serve to further deepen the biological state. Changes in hormonal balance can lead to increased sympathetic nervous system activation, thereby directly impacting nervous system balance.
Another important consideration which impacts cellular health is nutrition and diet. The food which we eat can have significant impact upon our cellular health. At the foundation, there are essential elements which we must obtain through our diet for basic physiological functions. In addition, the types of foods we eat can have negative impacts on our biology. For instance, ultra-processed foods as well as high sugar diets can lead to pro-inflammatory states. When persistent over time, chronic inflammation can result, which as discussed in past articles, is an important consideration in our overall health. In addition, saturated fats, in particular when combined with high sugar intake can also result in pro-inflammatory states.
With an identification of the various inputs as noted above in place, we can better understand the various strategies and tactics which we can implement to pursue the output of interest, nervous system balance. It is important to note that while the various methods are categorized as described above, this is more for ease of description and discussion of underlying principles and knowledge rather than a true biological distinction. Each of the various inputs can impact any of the others in a bidirectional fashion. As such, it becomes exceedingly important to pay attention to all of the inputs, rather than selection of only a few.
While we may choose to emphasize particular methods in our training and development of skills and tools, this should not be done without consideration of the impact across all of the inputs. In essence, the entirety of the inputs will work in a synergistic fashion to affect our pursuit of nervous system balance. It is also important to recognize that the resulting impact on the degree of nervous system balance can feed back into our inputs, thereby further influencing our output of interest. This exemplifies the inherent feedback loops which are readily established in our overall pursuit of health, quality of life, and performance.
As the above discussion illustrates, there are numerous psychological and physiological inputs which are related to specific skills and tools. It is important that in order to optimally pursue health, quality of life, and performance that we attend to each of these and develop the appropriate tools and skills such that we are able to utilize these various inputs in our pursuit of our overall objectives. If we are to optimally pursue health, quality of life, and performance, it is necessary that we do so from a foundation of nervous system balance.
For more information about integrating the framework of complementary healthcare into clinical practice to manage metabolic syndrome, reduce chronic inflammation and chronic stress, and improve health, visit www.buoyhealthcare.com.
To learn more, including about biologically complementary coaching for healthcare professionals and others in high demand domains, please visit www.darindavidson.com.
Dr. Darin Davidson partners with Learner+, a CME/CE reflective learning platform for healthcare providers. For the opportunity to reflect on this article and earn CME/CE credits, Launch here. Check out all past articles which are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits.
For downloadable, actionable strategies and tactics to leverage biology in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance, visit the resource store, Launch here. Chapters are arranged by topic so those of interest can be selected and each are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits through Learner+.