Training Your Nervous System: Why Calm Takes Daily Practice

Calm isn't a state we can simply decide to feel but rather a skill we develop through consistent practice, similar to building a muscle. When we understand that our stress responses are patterns developed over time, we can begin to retrain our nervous system by exercising our vagus nerve - the calm switchboard of the body.

Chapters

• 0:00 Calm Is a Practice, Not a Decision
• 0:29 Understanding Stress Patterns
• 1:07 The Vagus Nerve as Calm Switchboard
• 3:15 Ocean Breath Exercise
• 5:42 Final Thoughts and Episode Closing

Transcript

Emily Feist: 0:00

Calm isn't something you just decide to feel. It's something you practice, just like we do with our muscles, and if you've never trained it, you just might feel that calm is out of your reach.

Emily Feist: 0:12

Welcome back to 'It Starts at Vagus', the podcast where we stop chasing calm and start creating it, one small shift at a time. I'm your host, Emily, and I'm your guide to rewiring stress, restoring calm and giving your nervous system the attention it deserves.

Emily Feist: 0:27

Let's get into today's episode.

Emily Feist: 0:30

You know how people say just relax, like you haven't tried it before. And yet it looks like it comes so easy to some people. Here's the truth. Calm isn't just a mood you can switch on. It's a skill and, like any skill, you get better the more you practice it

Emily Feist: 0:46

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Emily Feist: 0:47

Think about stress and anxiety for a second. They're not just feelings, they're also patterns, habits your brain and body learned over time. You've been practicing those patterns for years, often without realizing it, and then your nervous system is saying okay, I guess this is how we do life now, high alert all the time. That's how it is, and some days it's the big stuff, like an argument with somebody you love or a tight deadline at work, while other days they're tiny, like the coffee shops is out of your oat milk, or the weird tone in a text message that keeps you overthinking. Your body reacts to all of those, big or small, like it's reading different chapters of the same book. The characters are familiar, but the plot twist keeps changing. That's why you can't just learn how to be calm once and done. You need a flexible, adaptable nervous system that can shift gears no matter what chapter throws at you. That's where your vagus nerve comes in. It's the calm switchboard of your body. When it's healthy and practiced it's like a skilled DJ, smoothly fading out the high alert track and bringing in the slow, steady beat when you need it. But if you never give it practice, it gets a little rusty and outdated. The skills we had when we were kids no longer work as well when we are adults. So yes, calm takes reps.

Emily Feist: 2:15

You don't wait until you're in the middle of a panic spiral to try your first breathing exercise. You need to practice it before it's necessary. You need to practice it in everyday's necessary. You need to practice it in everyday low-stake moments like pausing for three deep breaths while your tea steeps, or noticing the weight of your body in a chair while you're in a Zoom call. These little micro moments are when your vagus nerve learns okay, we can downshift, we can find our way back here, because when the bigger storm hits, your nervous system already knows the way home. It knows the route to nervous system regulation.

Emily Feist: 2:54

Think of it when you are in a blizzard I grew up in North Dakota where blizzards were yearly and sometimes the storm gets so bad that you can't see five, 10 feet in front of you, and sometimes that would get scary. But when you're in familiar surroundings and you know which route to take, it gets less stressful. Yes, you still have to deal with that stress and you still have to move forward, but it's not as scary as if you were in a completely different setting. We also want to practice because it is like building a muscle. You wouldn't expect to carry a 50-pound box if you've never lifted anything heavier than a coffee cup. Calm works the same way. So here's your takeaway for today Don't just wait for calm. Your takeaway for today. Don't just wait for calm. Practice and apply it. The more familiar it feels, the easier it is to reach, no matter what life throws at you. That's why some people can, quote-unquote, just relax, because their nervous system has already practiced enough to find that off switch.

Emily Feist: 4:00

And since we are talking about practice, let's do one together. Make sure you're in a safe area and adjust to your circumstances. So you know how. The ocean doesn't rush right up to the shore. It takes its time, waves in and waves out. Let's borrow that rhythm for a minute. Wherever you are, let your shoulders drop a little If you're sitting. Let your feet rest on the floor If you're standing. Notice the weight of your body being held up without you having to do anything. Now breathe in gently through your nose Four, five, six. Let's do today. again.

Emily Feist: 4:46

through your nose One, two, three. Hold for a moment. And out through your mouth Four, five, six, one more. Inhale One, two. Feel your ribs expand, pause and exhale like you're blowing through a straw all the way out. And that's it One moment of calm.

Emily Feist: 5:19

Today. You can check that off your list, but continue to 'It it as Vagus' days go by so that when there does become a stressful situation, you can have these tools in your tool belt. So you just gave your vagus nerve a little stretch, and the more you do this in the middle of the day, in between Vagus. while making your tea, the easier it becomes to find that feeling again when you really need it. All right, friends, thanks for hanging out with us today on it Starts at Vegas. New episodes are released every Tuesday to give you tips so that you can soothe your nervous system and reclaim who you are. Make sure you're subscribed and share this with someone who you know could benefit. And until next time, remember wellness starts at Vegas.