The Power Of Rest, Digest and Repair In Healing Anxiety and Stress.
In a fast-paced world, it's easy to get caught in a cycle of stress and constant activation. Our nervous system is designed to respond to life's demands through the sympathetic branch—commonly known as the "fight, flight, and freeze" responses. These responses are invaluable in moments of urgency, but they aren’t meant to be our default state. The parasympathetic branch of the nervous system is just as essential, and a healthy balance between the two is key.
The Power of Awareness
Recognizing when your nervous system has shifted into alarm mode is the first step toward healing. Stress isn’t just “stress”—it’s a signal from your body that you are in fight, flight, or freeze mode and that it’s time to restore balance.
Rest, Digest, and Repair
While we often think of rest as simply taking a break—perhaps catching up on sleep or engaging in relaxation activities—it goes much deeper than that. It also encompasses digestion and repair.
Physically, the parasympathetic branch improves digestion and nutrient absorption. It reduces inflammation caused by chronic stress and repairs damaged cells—all critical processes for overall health and well-being. But this “rest, digest, and repair” state is just as vital for our emotional and mental health, as well as our sense of connection.
Emotional Repair: Just as the body digests food, emotions require time and space to be felt, processed, and integrated. The parasympathetic system supports emotional regulation and calm, allowing us to reflect on experiences rather than reacting impulsively or keeping things stuck. This creates a foundation for emotional health and well-being.
Mental Repair: A balanced nervous system clears mental clutter, enhances problem-solving, and boosts creativity. It allows us to process our experiences with greater clarity and insight.
Connection Repair: When the nervous system is out of balance, we often feel disconnected from the people and things we love. We can feel scattered, alone, or even like the world is against us. Balance fosters the deep sense of connection we all thrive on.
Regularly shifting your nervous system from alarm to rest, digest, and repair strengthens resilience and builds capacity to return to balance.
Practical Steps to Support Rest, Digest, and Repair
How can we nurture the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system and move toward balance? Here are a few practical steps:
Deep, Intentional Breathing
Slow, deep breaths signal safety to your nervous system. Check out my Blog: Breathe Your Way to Balance for practical tips to learn more on the powerful connection between breathing and the nervous system and some simple breathing practices to try.Movement and Nature
Gentle activities like walking, yoga, or stretching can calm the nervous system. Spending time in nature provides a grounding effect that promotes relaxation. You may also enjoy my Blog: How I Discovered the Power Of Nurturing The Nervous System In Healing Anxiety (Part 2) which includes a simple heart-grounding technique.Mindful Rest
Prioritize quality sleep and moments of stillness. Rest isn’t just about sleep—it’s also about giving yourself permission to pause during the day.Emotional Awareness
Create space for your emotions by journaling, practicing mindfulness, or simply allowing yourself to feel without judgment. EFT Tapping is a valuable tool for managing emotions. Check out my Blog: Unlock The Power Of EFT Tapping: A Tool For Healing And Emotional Freedom to learn more.Connection
Safe, supportive relationships help calm the nervous system and reinforce emotional well-being. Spend time with loved ones and pets. Even nature can foster this sense of connection.
By prioritizing rest, digest, and repair, you build resilience, deepen your emotional well-being, and reconnect with yourself and others. When you nurture your nervous system, you nurture yourself.
Written by Michele Venema BScN, RN, Psychotherapist, cEFT2 AEFTP
Nurse Psychotherapist/EFT Practitioner
From Shadows to SoulLight Counselling