One of the most commonly overlooked tools for regulating and healing the nervous system is our body's nonverbal language. Our body communicates through sensations, emotions, postures, and thoughts, and in order to evolve on our healing journey, we must learn to understand this language. The body acts as a spokesperson for the nervous system, providing cues that guide us towards healing.
Here are five ways in which our body tells us "No":
Sensations: If you feel tension, tightness, clenching, numbness, increased heart rate, dissociation, shallow breath, or the urge to hold your breath even when you say "yes," your body is saying "no."
Emotions: If you experience anxiety, panic, fear, worry, anger, irritation, urgency, or overwhelm despite expressing agreement, your body is saying "no."
Posture: If your shoulders rise or roll forward, you hunch over, your neck pulls forward, your fists tighten, your jaw clenches, or you become fidgety when claiming to be in agreement, your body is saying "no."
Thoughts: If you internally say, "I can't," "I don't want to," "how will I manage this," "it's too much," or "I don't want to, but I don't know what to say," even if you verbally say "yes," your body is saying "no."
Imagination: If your mind begins to imagine worst-case scenarios, ways to escape the situation, the consequences of saying "no," or leaving the current circumstances when you are supposedly saying "yes," your body is saying "no."
Your body's postures and expressive emotions communicate with a part of your brain that operates beyond conscious awareness. Habitual postures provide insight into what your nervous system is trying to protect. By intentionally changing the way your body naturally holds itself, you can begin to recover from chronic and traumatic stress. It all begins with listening and understanding the language of the body.
Have you ever sensed your body saying "no"? Did you listen and recognize its message?
Those constant "no's" in the body come down to how a person is either thriving or just surviving. If you are just in survival mode, it is challenging to optimize your health, your body, your life. What does survival mode look like?
When a person's nervous system is in a state of survival, the focus is not on healing, recovery, or having a strong immune system.
Creativity, clear thinking, and memory are not the primary concerns.
Digestion, motility, and appetite are not given priority.
Learning, problem solving, and productivity take a back seat.
Growth, connection, and peace are not the main priorities.
Having restful sleep is not the focus.
Regulating hormones is not given utmost importance.
When in survival mode, the primary goal is simply to survive.
If your body is struggling to survive, all energy will be directed towards that goal. This can lead to imbalances in hormone levels, such as adrenaline and cortisol, which can affect fertility, menstrual cycles, testosterone levels, erectile dysfunction, and weight loss.
Chronic stress can disrupt basic human needs, causing a lack of hunger cues and leading to disruptions in metabolism and subsequently other symptoms.
Stress can also lead to overeating without feeling satisfied or satiated.
Sleep patterns can be greatly affected when in survival mode, resulting in feeling unrested, waking up in the middle of the night, feeling fatigued shortly after waking, or sleeping excessively without feeling refreshed, as the body does not prioritize sleep in this state.
If you align with any of the above information, then it's time to tend to your nervous system. Starting from within is the fastest way to make long lasting, positive change for yourself.
There are holistic ways to find a healthier, well functioning nervous system.
Book Your Free Consultation to work with Melissa Moon, ELAN Healing Facilitator OR
visit Learn EPC for a self-guided option to take better care of yourself.
Its' time to start expecting the best our of your body and your life.