8 Ways to Activate Your “Rest and Digest” System
Your parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) is the “rest and digest” branch of your autonomic nervous system (ANS). Activating this division promotes sleep, digestion, growth, development and immune function. Below are 8 of the best ways to activate your “rest and digest” system in the midst of a stressful world.
Meditate for 5 minutes
Take 60 seconds to perform deep abdominal breathing (diaphragmatic breathing)
Spend time in nature for 20 minutes
Do a couple yoga poses
Spend 15 minutes playing with you kids or pets
Avoid excess caffeine and sugar when possible
Get 8+ hours of sleep
Get adjusted regularly
Adjustments are one of the best tools to balance the activity between our “fight or flight” and “rest and digest” systems. Focusing on the regions of the spine where the parasympathetic nerves arise (cervical/neck, sacrum/buttock) helps stimulate those nerves and promote a “rest and digest” state.
