Biodynamic Massage & The Nervous System

Stress and the Nervous System

Many of us are living with very heightened states of stress and arousal.

When we are subjected to events in our day to day lives that spike our sympathetic nervous system we may feel a little more anxious and stressed. Whether these events are microaggressions, deadlines, financial pressures… If we witness violence towards others - as we are witnessing a genocide on our screens. Being worried about things like climate change that can feel utterly overwhelming when so many decisions are taken for us that affect our future. Having our rights up for debate or taken away from us. If it’s the stress of looking after small children and the overstimulation that this often brings.

Phew. It’s a lot.

When we experience a stressor, at some point, our parasympathetic nervous system will activate to recalibrate our system. With the activation of this system (the rest and digest system) I may feel able to speak to someone about my financial situation or ask for an extended deadline. I may be able to take some deeper breaths if my child is having a meltdown and respond appropriately. I may have the clarity or energy to write a letter to my MP or join a local group to advocate our collective rights and humanity. I may be able to reach out for help when I feel overwhelmed or to understand what my body needs - deep rest, movement, connection or support. I may be able to carefully put down what isn’t mine to carry, or hold.

I may be able to both restore and down regulate or, do something, if needed.

Yet when these stressors keep coming, or, indeed, build up or become louder then the parasympathetic nervous system also goes into overdrive. We end up with both branches of autonomic nervous system way up - both the SNS and the PNS are in overdrive. If this goes beyond a certain point then I may feel totally overwhelmed and panicked.

It is absolutely no wonder that sometimes we may feel burnt out, overstimulated or unable to regulate. The goal isn’t to be ‘calm’ all the time - that’s not the point of yoga or biodynamic massage either. We want a nervous system that appropriately responds and is able to respond to what’s going on around me.

Sometimes, we may become ‘stuck’ at any point in the cycle. It’s not uncommon for us to feel constantly stimulated, on the edge, in overdrive or constantly ‘switched on’. If we are in this heightened state of arousal, at the top of the vasomotoric cycle then we may feel very stressed and burnt out. We may not be able to integrate what is happening to us or notice how we feel. Often, at the end of the day, we ‘crash’ into relaxation - we may choose to disassociate or numb ourselves in some way. We may crash into bed with little wind down, digestion of our day and integration.

Similarly, we feel stuck at the bottom of the cycle with a lack of energy, drive or will. We may feel really flat, or low and find it hard to muster enthusiasm for the things that we usually love. We may want to feel a sense of vitality again or able to act appropriately to stressors. Sometimes if we are stuck in the PNS we may not be able to fight back when we need to, we may not feel very boundaried, or not be able to say say ‘no’ or ‘yes’ appropriately.

When both branches of the ANS are high and in overdrive, often one of the most helpful things we can do is to simply meet you, and the body, where it is.

The key is to not force the body - if you aren’t comfortable lying on your tummy, for instance, then we go with what suits you in the moment. We may not work too deeply with the body and tissue too soon if you were feeling overwhelmed. Or, we may choose to work a little deeper with the muscle if it would be helpful to come into contact with your own strength and power. If you’re feeling scattered, fragmented or overwhelme it may be helpful to lower the SNS and practice simple holding techniques for the body to gain a sense of itself - of your own boundaries. And to be held and supported by another too.

I hope this gives a sense of the many possibilities of Biodynamic Massage. You can read more about Biodynamic Massage and the nervous system through the work of Kathryn Stauffer https://stauffer.co.uk/ and also of Gill Westland.