Nervous System Narratives

It’s summer! With the exception of the EXCESSIVE heat (at least in North Carolina), for a lot of us it indicates a time when life slows a bit. We vacation, we pool, we beach, we travel, we hang out, we practice the meditation we were learning about last year, and we promise ourselves we will capture the spirit of summer when vacation season ends. This can also be the time of year when our nervous system is best primed to learn new things - during periods of calm and rest. Let’s explore how seasons of rest can be the most powerful catalysts for growth and understanding.

Our nervous system - otherwise known as our body’s command center - is how we process internal and external stimuli. It has 2 main parts:

1. Central Nervous System (CNS): Consisting of the brain and spinal cord, the CNS processes information and coordinates actions. When we experience anything in life - a good restaurant, a breakup, a move, a new sensation - it’s all processed in the CNS.

2. Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): Including all the nerves outside the CNS, the PNS transmits signals between the CNS and the rest of the body. This part is further divided into the -

   • Somatic Nervous System: This is responsible for our body’s voluntary actions and behaviors

   • Autonomic Nervous System (ANS): This is responsible for our body’s involuntary actions - breathing, digestion, etc. The ANS is further broken down into the-

     • Sympathetic Nervous System: Activates the “fight or flight” response during stress

     • Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS): Promotes “rest and digest” functions, fostering relaxation and recovery and is strongly influenced by the vagus nerve (more about this nerve next week)

     • Enteric Nervous System: Controls the gastrointestinal tract independently from the CNS above

Here we are going to focus most on the parasympathetic nervous system - which for a lot of folx is most “rested & digested” in the summer months. There is more daylight, we tend to spend more time outside, and we naturally tend to engage in activities that support the PNS. This actually also makes us more receptive to things like mental health therapy.

While active learning - studying, practice, repetition - is very much a critical part of learning…REST is an equally vital role in solidifying new knowledge and skills. When we are more rested we are better at -

1. Memory Consolidation - we retain the information that we learned.

2. Synaptic Homeostasis - A fancy way of saying that our brain is primed to make important connections because we aren’t saturated with activity - because we’ve taken time for rest

3. Problem-Solving & Creativity - Periods of rest (this can include daydreaming and/or letting our minds simply wander) activate our brain’s ability to think creatively and problem solve. Ultimately we are more likely to make connections and insights that we may have otherwise missed.

Often in periods of rest we are prone to “take a break” from the things that serve us because well - we’re feeling less stressed. We stop our workout routines, we get off our sleep schedule, we stop journaling, and generally are prone to easing up on our healthy habits. This is actually a prime time to learn into them more. Our brains are primed to get the absolute most from them in our seasons of rest. This may or may not be summer - maybe you’re a park ranger or camp counselor and summer is your busiest season. Ultimately, our brains and bodies need rest, joy, mindfulness, water, connection, and calm all year. It’s true the calmer our nervous system, the more primed we are to receive and process information.

However, even if it’s not the most calm time for you - it’s an election year, and a lot of us are feeling anything but calm. Find the practices that support your nervous system and lean into them - all year long.

References:

Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures (3rd ed.). The Guilford Press.

Siegel, D. J. (2012). The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are. The Guilford Press.