Why Your Spine is Misaligned Part 2

In the previous blog post I introduced the concept of the 3 “T’s”. These are the 3 different categories of stressors that we encounter regularly in our lives. The first T is Trauma, or physical stress. To learn more about that visit this blog post. In this post we will go over the second “T”, which is thoughts. Thoughts refers to the mental & emotional stress we experience and the resulting effects this stress has on our lives. A micro example of mental/emotional stress is running late or being nervous to give a presentation. A macro example is a challenging divorce or the loss of a loved one.

Mental/emotional stress causes a physiological response in our body. We may experience tightness in our muscles, clenching of the jaw, increased heart rate, shallow breathing, heightened emotional reactivity, immune system suppression, slowed digestion, the release of stress-related hormones such as cortisol and an overall fight, flight or freeze nervous system activation. This becomes a major problem when we experience continued mental/emotional stress and spend most of our time in this mode. We end up with chronic fatigue, relentless tight muscles, tension headaches, poor digestion and a weak immune system.

As I mentioned in my previous blog post, the 2 questions to ask yourself are, “how can I limit my interaction with the 3 t’s?”, and, “how can I increase my capacity to handle the 3 t’s?”. 

You can try to avoid certain mental & emotional stress by being mindful of the environments you put yourself in and the people or content you interact with. You can create boundaries in your life that help you avoid excess stress. You can change your behavior in a way that would be supportive, such as leaving the house earlier if you are always running late.

However, some mental/emotional stress is unavoidable! There is no way to go through life without experiencing ups and downs.

You can increase your tolerance for this type of stress through tools such as meditation, personal development work, therapy and nervous system regulation techniques. That’s where chiropractic comes in! Chiropractic allows your nervous system to have a greater capacity to manage the stress response. It does this NOT by avoiding stress, but by embracing it. A common misconception is that a well regulated nervous system is one that stays calm all the time. This is NOT true! A well regulated nervous system is one that has an expansive range, meaning it can handle the ups and downs without shutting down or losing control. A well regulated nervous system is adaptable and flexible, not static. 

What this might look like is welcoming an emotion, feeling it all the way through, and letting it go without getting stuck in it or doing something rash. If you are angry for example, being able to let yourself feel the anger, notice how your body responds, let it feel uncomfortable, be patient while it escalates, then wait for it to dissipate. Going for a walk, taking some big, deep breaths or even screaming into a pillow are great ways to give your nervous system support while it processes. Don’t focus on your thoughts about what made you angry, only focus on the sensations of anger. A true emotional reaction should only last a minute or two if you let yourself feel the feelings fully (I know, easier said than done!)

If you are trying to manage the emotional stress in your life while your nervous system is stuck in fight, flight or freeze you won’t get very far. To create a lasting shift in the way you are able to handle stress you need to get comfortable with the ever-changing experience of being alive and a nervous system that can support that.