Polyvagal Exercises for Anxiety PDF Free Download

Polyvagal Exercises for Anxiety PDF Download Info

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What Is Polyvagal Theory?

   Polyvagal theory is based on the evolution of the autonomic nervous system, which consists of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The SNS reacts to perceived danger by increasing heart rate and blood pressure, while the PNS brings the body back to homeostasis by calming the body and lowering the heart rate and blood pressure. Traumatic experiences can damage the nervous systems and cause conditions like C-PTSD and anxiety disorders. The human autonomic system has three stages of response: social engagement, mobilization, and immobilization. Social engagement involves negotiating danger through the face, vocalization, or language.

   Mobilization is the fight-or-flight response, which requires an increase of metabolic functions and a decrease in unnecessary functions. Parasympathetic immobilization is the most primitive response, which is dictated by the old vagus. It seeks to reduce metabolic demands in situations where there are few options for food or air.

How Do Polyvagal Theory Exercises Work?

   Polyvagal theory exercises seek to optimize the regulation of the body’s physiological state and promote resilience. They employ social interactions and evoke safety to disrupt and repair the physiological state and promote resilience. They also encourage people to practice self-care and self-compassion for their symptoms. Examples of polyvagal theory exercises include deep breathing, closed exhalation, and the Valsalva maneuver. These exercises can help relax individuals and strengthen the vagus nerve to enhance the body’s automatic response and return more quickly to a state of calm following an unfamiliar or stressful situation.

   Applying cold water to the body can stimulate the vagus nerve, decreasing SNS activity and increasing PNS activity. Mindful physical activity, vocalizations, and reminiscing on pleasant memories can also help calm and relax the body. Physical activity removes vagal inhibitions and stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, while vocalizations stimulate the vagus nerve.

   Playfulness is a natural state of being that is necessary in a serious world. Being in a calm and soothing environment slows the heart rate and inhibits the SNS response. Safe and Sound Protocol Sessions use auditory cues to reduce stress, promote relaxation, and stimulate the social engagement system.

HOW THE BODY AND

MIND DEVELOP

   Polyvagal theory exercises help people change their fear responses from immobilization to action to social engagement. They can help with a variety of issues, such as trauma, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and phobias. Strengthening the vagus nerve and learning self-soothing techniques can help individuals reduce damage caused by long-term exposure to stress and develop their social engagement response. Focus is dependent on how well we process incoming information at the sensory and emotional levels. Unyte-iLs develops bottom-up, non-invasive solutions to help people train their nervous systems to be more aware, regulated and resilient. Their programs include music, movement, breathing, meditation and language exercises that nourish the nervous system to enable meaningful and lasting changes in physiological state and quality of life.

   The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the autonomic nervous system, allowing the brain to monitor and receive information about many of our bodily functions. It processes signals and cues from the world around us and determines how we react through three physiological states: Parasympathetic / Ventral Vagal state, Sympathetic state, and Dorsal Vagal state. Polyvagal Theory is a scientific framework that can be applied through physiological therapies to help change and improve how we feel, think, and connect with others.

Anatomical hypothesis

   The vagus, or tenth cranial nerve, transmits parasympathetic signals to and from the heart, lungs, and digestive tract. Polyvagal theory claims that facial expressions are associated with physical reactions, and the branches of the vagal nerve serve different evolutionary stress responses in mammals. These neural pathways regulate autonomic states and the expression of emotional and social behaviour. Polyvagal theory states that physiological state dictates behaviour and psychological experience. It champions the measurement of vagal tone in humans as a novel index of stress vulnerability and reactivity.

   The dorsal vagal complex (DVC) is postulated to be the phylogenetically older branch of the vagus nerve and provides primary control of subdiaphragmatic visceral organs. Prolonged disinhibition can be lethal for mammals.

   The ventral vagal complex (VVC) is a sophisticated system that regulates sympathetic “fight or flight” behaviors through social affiliative behaviors. It also mediates the control of supradiaphragmatic visceral organs and exerts an important influence on the heart. When vagal tone to the heart’s pacemaker is high, a baseline or resting heart rate is produced. However, when vagal tone is removed, there is little inhibition to the pacemaker and rapid mobilization can be activated without engaging the sympathetic nervous system.

Polyvagal Exercises for Anxiety

THE AUTONOMIC HIERARCHY

   The autonomic nervous system is a complex system that responds to competing needs to survive and be social. Clients are faced with the dilemma of balancing the drive to survive with the longing to connect. Trauma stories are held in autonomic pathways that are tuned to a lowthreshold–high intensity pattern of responding. The autonomic nervous system learns through experience, even before birth. The autonomic nervous system is influenced by socioeconomic hardship, inadequate social support, and the use of substances.

   Maternal mood influences the baby’s level of activity and heart rate. Early experiences shape the baby’s system, creating habitual response patterns. When family dynamics are based in experiences of autonomic misattunement, there is little chance for experiences of repair. Trauma survivors often suffer from dysregulated autonomic organization, leading to physical and psychological health problems, such as impaired immune function, digestive problems, respiratory problems, diabetes, increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and chronic fatigue.

   The autonomic nervous system is a nested system, with the dorsal vagal system regulating organs, the sympathetic nervous system circulating blood, and the ventral vagal system allowing for connection and social engagement. When the newest autonomic pathway is directing the system, healthy homeostasis is the result. The vagus nerve is the major component of the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system. It is composed of two pathways, the dorsal vagus and the ventral vagus, which are at opposite ends of the continuum of response from dorsal vagal immobilization and disconnection to ventral vagal social engagement. Heart rate variability measurement has moved beyond laboratories and expensive ECGs to the general public with widely available, low-cost, user-friendly devices. There is increasing understanding about the impact of the autonomic nervous system on well-being and the need to attend to ventral vagal pathways.

Polyvagal Exercises for Anxiety PDF Free Download