Relaxation? You might be doing it wrong!

I only recently learned more about the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, and realized that my idea of relaxation wasn’t as healthy as I thought. It may even have been taking a toll on me at times.

You may already know that the autonomic nervous system has two main branches: the sympathetic and the parasympathetic.

Sympathetic (SNS) is activated in the fight-or-flight state. It’s characterized by a quick heartbeat, increased blood flow to the muscles, and fast, shallow breathing.

Parasympathetic (PNS), on the other hand, is often referred to as the rest-and-digest system. It supports growth and restoration of the body: the muscles relax, and breathing slows down.

In life, we need both to stay healthy. Most of us engage the SNS regularly – through stress or sports. But what about the PNS? The answer is relaxation, though not just any kind of relaxation.

Many activities that feel enjoyable are, in fact, the opposite of relaxation for your PNS. For example:

• playing video games
• watching an intense reality show
• listening to highly emotional music
• scrolling through social media
• reading a thrilling book

Or even just slouching. The PNS depends on deep abdominal breathing, and you can't breathe into your belly if you're hunched over. Though it’s easy to fix: just sit upright or lie down.

To fully unwind, your mind has to slow down too – neither strong stimulation nor overthinking will help. The best activities to relax and activate the PNS include:

• meditation
• breathing exercises (if they feel uncomfortable or too boring, I recommend trying Brahmari)
• slow walks in nature
• gentle movement such as hatha yoga, tai chi, or simple stretching
• anything that releases tension in your muscles and lets you just exist: a hot bath, watching the sunset with a cup of tea, and so on
• and if you exercise regularly, over time you may also find it easier to activate the PNS after your workouts.

What I mean is that you should have a wider range of relaxation activities. Only watching TV won’t help. Spending the whole day in a hot bath won’t help either. Enjoy the things you normally do, but also make sure to take some time to release the built-up tension in your body with the activities I mentioned above. You won’t regret it.