By Clara and Justin Hamel
Recently you may have been hearing or reading about terms like “vagal toning,” “somatic healing” or “nervous system rewiring.” These phrases seem to be popping up everywhere in the wellness community. Social media is filled with practitioners and influencers claiming they have the perfect solution to calm and reset the nervous system. Meanwhile, companies are introducing devices designed to physically disrupt the body’s stress response cycle through electrical stimulation and vibration, and wellness professionals are offering programs promising to release stored trauma, restore balance and transform how our bodies respond to stress. However despite the shiny new phrases and technology, we may merely be tapping into something humanity has practiced for centuries.
For years we’ve been encouraged to take deep breaths, meditate, practice yoga, spend time outdoors, and simply slow down. These practices have been engrained in religious and spiritual traditions across cultures and centuries through prayer, meditation, quiet reflection and intentional stillness. Long before we understood the physiological mechanisms behind relaxation, people recognized the value of slowing the mind and calming the body. For example, ancient Indian traditions incorporated breath control and meditation thousands of years ago, Chinese spiritual practice combined intentional movement with controlled breathing, and early Christians practiced silent contemplation, breathing focus and inward attention long before the modern idea of mindfulness existed. Over the decades, these practices and the terminology used to describe them have evolved, but the practices remain the same.
That’s not to suggest our understanding hasn’t evolved. Scientific understanding of how chronic stress affects the brain and body, how our nervous system responds to perceived threats and how certain practices can increase our resilience to stress has expanded greatly. Science is showing us how the historical small, simple practices discussed above can create massively meaningful changes in our health and well-being.
Of course, we cannot remain calm all the time. It is not how we are designed. We are designed to respond to challenges and stressors in our environment. Stress, excitement, fear and discomfort are natural parts of the human experience. A healthy nervous system is one that responds appropriately to our circumstances and then returns to a balanced state.
While innovation and professional support can assist in our resilience to stress, we should not overlook the value of simple, age-old practices that are currently within our reach. Improving how we respond to stress doesn’t mean waiting and saving for that new device, or spending thousands of dollars for specialized programs. You can start now with your breath, with your movement, with stretching your body, with sitting quietly, with mindful reflection or with turning your attention to nature. These were once ordinary moments that helped our bodies shift out of a stress response and into resilience.
In many ways we have become remarkably good at developing new ways to manage stress, yet we often overlook the importance of how we live our everyday lives. Maybe the greatest challenge isn’t finding another solution, but learning to consistently practice what we already know.
*Dr. Justin Hamel and Clara Hamel have a combined over 30 years of experience in health fields. Reach them at 1° Performance & Longevity, located at 46 N. Central Park Plz., Suite 101, in Jacksonville, on Facebook or by phone at 217-243-6358.
