Meditation for Chronic Sympathetic Nervous System Arousal

Meditation is a wonderful alternative therapy treatment for chronic sympathetic nervous system arousal. Many of the eastern traditions have been slowly making their way into our western culture for decades, and now meditation has almost become mainstream. It's no wonder, as mediation offers so many benefits to our health and well-being, especially those of us that suffer from stress related problems. Meditation is becoming widely popular not only as stress therapy but as an added helper to conventional medicine for all types of chronic disease.

It is no secret that stress causes physical and emotional issues, and in our high-speed technological society, with less of the stay-at-home parents and more of the two-parent-working scenario, it not really a surprise that more of us are feeling more stressed out than ever.

Some theorists and scientists suggest that stress, along with emotional inhibition can lead to undesirable consequences, and those that stop their emotional expressions may even suffer terribly from the effects of chronic sympathetic nervous system arousal. So expressing our emotions can even help our stress levels and be good for our health, of course, along with a regimented meditation practice.

What is Chronic Sympathetic Nervous System Arousal?

Chronic sympathetic nervous system arousal is the frequent, or constant activation of the sympathetic nervous system, or the "fight or flight" part of the brain. Here is a quote from Roz Carroll at thinkbody.co.uk "The Autonomic Nervous System: Barometer of Emotional Intensity and Internal Conflict" to help you better understand the concept,
"In standard physiology the two parts of the ANS (autonomic nervous system) have been perceived as functioning reciprocally: the sympathetic governing arousal, the fight or flight reaction and the parasympathetic involving relaxation, recuperation and digestion. The sympathetic nervous system is activated by any stimulus over an individual's threshold (and the threshold can vary enormously), including feelings, and by noise, light, drugs and chemicals (e.g. caffeine). In response to the stimulus an immediate anticipatory state is generated by the release of adrenaline. This causes the heart to beat more quickly and strongly, increases blood supply to the muscles, raises blood pressure, dilates the bronchii and increases the breathing rate, raises the blood sugar level for increased energy, speeds up mental activity, increases tension in the muscles, dilates pupils and increases sweating. Non-emergency functions, such as digestion are lessened or suspended. Walter Cannon coined the phrase 'fight or flight' to describe the function of the rapid mobilization of resources."

What is Mediation?

According to many yogis and gurus, meditation is simply being aware and "not thinking", or getting out of your head. As healthandyoga.com states, "An ordinary person may consider meditation as a worship or prayer. But it is not so. Meditation means awareness. Whatever you do with awareness is meditation. "Watching your breath" is meditation; listening to the birds is meditation. As long as these activities are free from any other distraction to the mind, it is effective meditation. Meditation is not a technique but a way of life. Meditation means 'a cessation of the thought process' . It describes a state of consciousness, when the mind is free of scattered thoughts and various patterns . The observer (one who is doing meditation) realizes that all the activity of the mind is reduced to one. So to meditate is to get out of your head, and let all your thoughts go to just BE.

How Can Meditation help Chronic Sympathetic Nervous System Arousal?

By practicing meditation, not only can you lessen your stress levels, become more balanced as a whole, and feel better, but you can become a much more energized person too. By giving your body the proper time to regenerate and heal itself, it gives you more energy to do the things you want, and you are then able to train your autonomic nervous system to let go of the "fight or flight" actions and heal the tightly wound nerves to relax and get back to their normal state, or a state of homeostasis. Meditation can aid in treating the highly stressed brain to relax and find it's own harmonious state of being.

How Do I Start a Meditation Practice?

Beginning a meditation practice is quite simple really. Just make time for yourself everyday. Set aside 15-20 minutes twice a day for your "just breathing and being" practice. Even two 5 minute intervals, one in the morning- and one at night, are better than none. The hardest part of meditation is clearing the every-day thoughts that tend to creep into our consciousness even if we are trying to forget them. This may seem a daunting task, but if you keep concentrating on your breath and just breathing, in and out, soon your body will get the hang of it and learn how to quiet the mind.

Types of Meditation and Meditation Aids:

There are many types of meditation, so don't feel like there is only one way to to meditate. Here are a few types of meditation from Steve Gillman:

1.Breathing in and out- This type of meditation is just as it sounds. Lie, or sit in a comfortable position, turn off any or all electronic equipment, lights, etc; anything that would distract you from your concentration. Close your eyes and concentrate on breathing deeply in through your nose, and out through your mouth. Concentrate on the breath; in and out. If other thoughts enter your head, just let them pass by; do not give them a second thought or think of what you have yet to do that day. Don't give any of the passing thoughts any energy, just let them go in and out, instead focus only on your breathing.

2. Mantra meditation- Some find it difficult just to concentrate on breathing only, and this is where mantra meditation might come in handy. A mantra is a simple phrase or set of words (or even a single word) to repeat over and over which helps block out all other thoughts. Meditation becomes much easier when you have something on which your mind can focus. The mantra meditation can be spoken aloud or inside your head, whichever works best for you to quiet the mind. In some traditions; a mantra may be given to you by an experienced master or guru, but isn't necessary.

3. Insight meditation or mindfulness meditation- Steve Gillman says that mindfulness meditation is a specific practice that Buddhists have named vipassana. This basically is an art of being in the here and now; being aware of the moment without judgment or analyzing any of your thoughts, feelings, sights or sounds. It is paying attention without focusing on everything that is going on around you right now. When you are practicing insight meditation or mindfulness meditation you become fully aware of every thought, every feeling; everywhere your energy is going (or being focused on).

4.Walking meditation. Steve Gillman also says that walking meditation may work for those that find it difficult to sit, lie, or stand still for long, as it involves movement. You can practice walking meditation by taking a walk outside, or even pacing back and forth inside. The trick is to pay close attention to your breathing, leg movement, arm movement, the way your feet come in contact with the earth without focusing on outside sources. The key is to only focus on your breath, and walking movements; do not let any of the outside noises or feelings get in the way of your meditation. If your mind likes to wander, don't worry, just let the thoughts go and focus on your walking and breath again.

See Steve Gillman's page for more types of meditation.

Everyone has a different way of meditating. Some use meditational music cds , or soft recordings of nature sounds to relax them, such as waves, rain storms, or birds. But if this does not work for you it isn't necessary. Others use guided meditations , whether in person, or recordings.

Just use whatever works for you, and you will find that meditation is a great way to treat chronic sympathetic nervous system arousal, as well as creating a balanced and harmonized mind, body and spirit.

Resources & More Reading:

Roz Carroll at thinkbody.co.uk "The Autonomic Nervous System: Barometer of Emotional Intensity and Internal Conflict"
http://www.studystack.com/flashcard-403525
Steve Gillman; http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/2-26-2006-89868.asp
Meditation for Chronic Disease http://www.medindia.net/patients/lifestyleandwellness/meditation-chronic-disease.htm#ixzz1CuINRpmq