Health

4 Ways to Foster Nervous System Resilience and Heal Trauma in the Body

Published

2 years ago

February 5, 2022

4 Ways to Foster Nervous System Resilience and Heal Trauma in the Body

A traumatic event, also known as a trauma, is something that causes extreme distress, fear, and lasting negative feelings. It can range from losing a family member to witnessing a death. Healing trauma might feel like an impossible task at times, but it is possible.

Since trauma impacts the parasympathetic and nervous systems, taking part in healthy behaviors and learning how to foster resilience in your nervous system is essential to feeling free from your past and ready to take on your future.

Here are four ways to calm your nervous system and heal trauma in your physical body:

Practice Mindfulness Once a Day

We know from research that stress caused by trauma sends our nervous system into overdrive. When our nervous system is working overtime to try to calm our body, it can become tired and even cause inflammation in muscle, tissue, and organs.

Mindfulness has been proven to reduce the heart rate, allow blood circulation, and lower blood pressure. It is excellent for our bodies and our hearts. You can practice mindfulness by:

Doing yoga once a day. It can even just be one or two poses.
Listening to a guided meditation.
Practicing deep breathing.
Take a bath and close your eyes. Focusing on the silence around you and the comfort of the heat.
Practicing working with your senses. How many colors can you find in the room? How many sounds do you hear?

Mindfulness is simply about focusing your mind on one or two things and pushing stress and fear out of your mind. It helps trauma by taking our focus off traumatic memories and allowing our bodies to relax and re-focus.

Also Read: Why the HydraFacial Is One of the Most Popular In 2022

Try an Anti-Inflammatory Diet

An anti-inflammatory diet can be helpful in the treatment of trauma-related conditions. Since trauma causes inflammation in the body, eating foods low in reactive proteins and omega-6 acids can significantly help reduce stress in your body.

What we eat has a significant influence on our physical and mental health. We know that without the proper nutrients, mental health can significantly decrease. The good news is that diets like the Mediterranean Diet or Anti-Inflammatory Diet can improve mental health and lessen the stress associated with inflammation in the body.

Exercise When Possible

Exercise is another essential part of increasing resilience in your nervous system. When we stay dormant, our bodies do not get the needed circulation and heart health that they need to function correctly. A study done by APA PsycInfo showed that Aerobic exercise in a group of those experiencing PTSD, depression, or anxiety significantly reduced their symptoms after exercising.

The types of exercise that have been proven to improve mental health include:

Aerobic exercise
Yoga
Water aerobic exercise
Swimming

All of the exercise types listed above are made to safely increase the heart rate and then lower it, which is healthy for your nervous and cardiovascular systems. Start small to not over-exert yourself. Over time, you may see some drastic improvements in your physical and mental health.

Make Safe Reliable Connections With Those You Love

One of the most essential parts of healing trauma in those who have had unsafe connections in their past with people is finding safe new relationships that can help retrain your brain.

When someone goes through an unsafe relationship, especially for over 5 years, their body will learn to pick up on small signals that something terrible will happen. When you enter a relationship of any type in the future, you will most likely pick up on signs of danger, even when there are none.

To heal this fear in our bodies, we must train our brains to trust again. The signs of a safe and healthy relationship include:

They accept your boundaries and accept it when you say “no.”
They are open to understanding your past and your trauma.
They are a safe person for you to talk to.
They understand your love language and express their own.
They do not yell, intimidate, manipulate, or hurt you.
You feel safe to confide in them with any information.
They continuously give you reasons to trust them.

If you are in a situation of domestic violence or abuse, please know you’re not alone, and there is hope. Call the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) for immediate support and to find resources in your area.

Also Read: 5 Quick Ways to Get Rid of Back Pain

Conclusion

Trauma is complex and can impact our physical health in more than one way. Luckily, there are many things we can do to increase resilience in our nervous systems and teach our bodies that we are safe, even when healing trauma.

Always remember that trauma is not your fault. You can always find a trauma-informed therapist to help you with your personal healing journey when you’re ready. Or try some of the tips on this list to get started today.

Health

IIT-K and BFI collaborate to drive healthcare innovation in India

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2024

IANS

IIT-K and BFI forge partnership to accelerate healthcare innovation in India

Kanpur, April 17 (IANS) – The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-K) has entered into a strategic partnership with Blockchain For Impact (BFI) to drive advancements in healthcare in India. Under the BFI-Biome Virtual Network Programme, this collaboration aims to nurture innovations in the healthcare sector.

As part of the partnership, BFI will support IIT Kanpur in promoting entrepreneurial initiatives through the Startup Incubation & Innovation Centre (SIIC). A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at IIT Kanpur by Prof. Kantesh Balani, Dean of Resources and Alumni (DoRA), IIT Kanpur; and Dr. Gaurav Singh, CEO BFI.

BFI has committed to allocating over $150,000 across three years to develop programmes tailored to healthcare-focused startups at IIT Kanpur’s SIIC. This collaboration harnesses IIT Kanpur’s expertise in fostering entrepreneurship and BFI’s dedication to advancing biomedical research.

Prof. Kantesh Balani, DoRA, IIT Kanpur, expressed his optimism about the partnership, stating, “This MoU will help us share knowledge, support startups effectively, and improve our capacity-building efforts.” Dr. Gaurav Singh, CEO of BFI, highlighted the inspiring work of IIT Kanpur incubatees in healthcare innovation and the alignment of missions to accelerate impactful solutions in biomedical research.

This partnership signifies a significant step towards advancing healthcare innovation in India by leveraging expertise and resources. The collaboration between IITK and BFI holds promise for improving public health and ensuring equitable healthcare access for all.

Health

Doctors are hopeful that gene therapy could be a breakthrough for haemophilia, a blood disorder

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2024

IANS

Gene therapy holds promise for blood disorder haemophilia: Doctors

On World Haemophilia Day, doctors highlighted the potential of gene therapy in treating haemophilia, a hereditary blood disorder. Haemophilia is caused by missing or defective clotting factors and raises the risk of severe bleeding and joint damage. Genetic counselling and screening are crucial for affected individuals. India has a high number of haemophilia cases, but many go undiagnosed due to lack of screening capabilities.

Gene therapy offers a promising approach to treating haemophilia by delivering functional genes to correct the genetic defect responsible for deficient clotting factor production. Recent clinical trials show positive outcomes, including the use of lentiviral vectors at CMC Vellore. While current treatment involves factor VIII infusions, gene therapy may offer a cure for haemophilia, especially in low and middle-income countries.

According to Anoop P, Sr. Consultant – Haematology at Aster RV Hospital, “Gene therapy is a potentially curative treatment for haemophilia.” It allows for editing the faulty gene of a baby inside the uterus, known to be born with haemophilia due to a family history. Ongoing research on gene therapy shows promising results, indicating a potential paradigm shift in the management and cure of haemophilia.

Health

The Connection Between Daytime Sleep and Increased Risk of Dementia

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2024

IANS

How daytime sleep can raise dementia risk

New Delhi, April 17 (IANS) Compensating for lack of sleep during the daytime may not be as effective as previously thought, warned Dr. Sudhir Kumar, a neurologist based in Hyderabad. According to Dr. Sudhir, daytime sleep is not in sync with the body’s natural clock and can increase the risk of dementia and other psychiatric disorders.

Dr. Sudhir, from Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, highlighted in a post on X.com that daytime sleep is lighter and does not fulfill the body’s sleep requirements. He explained, “This fact is supported by numerous studies of night shift workers, who are predisposed to stress, obesity, cognitive deficits, and an elevated risk of neurodegenerative diseases.”

The neurologist pointed out that the glymphatic system, responsible for clearing the brain of protein waste products, is most active during sleep. Therefore, when there is a lack of sleep, the glymphatic system may fail, increasing the risk of dementia. Dr. Sudhir stated, “Glymphatic failure is the common pathway of dementia, leading to the accumulation of abnormal proteins in the brain.”

Factors such as poor sleep quality, age, sedentary lifestyle, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, sleep apnoea, circadian misalignment, substance abuse, and depression can also suppress or result in the failure of the glymphatic system. Dr. Sudhir emphasized, “Good sleepers tend to live longer, weigh less, have a reduced incidence of psychiatric disorders, and maintain cognitive function for longer periods.”

In conclusion, Dr. Sudhir advised that consistently sleeping well at night can lead to better cognitive function and decrease the risk of dementia and psychiatric disorders. It is essential to prioritize quality sleep to maintain overall brain health and reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.

–IANS
rvt/