I used to think that feeling anxious, overwhelmed, afraid, angry or any other “negative” emotion was simply an unpleasant experience - just something that happens to us humans. And that a “positive” emotion was something that happened when things go well, when the stars aligned.
I thought we had no influence over our emotions.
I was sometimes aware that when I had a negative emotion I didn’t feel the greatest - a pit in my stomach, tightness in my shoulders, a sensation of wanting to curl into a ball in a corner - but I didn’t know anything more than that.
I didn’t know that there are significant changes that take place in my body as a result of my emotions that have some serious health and well-being implications.
Did you know that your first line of defence against viruses, bacteria, and pathogens is a protein found in your saliva - immunoglobulin A (IgA) - and that high IgA means more resistance to respiratory disease and when you experience anger for 5 minutes, IgA drops significantly for 6 hours, leaving you more susceptible to disease! That’s with only 5 minutes of anger! (1)
And did you know, when you experience compassion, IgA levels increase, improving your immunity?
Did you know that with negative emotions such as fear, overwhelm, resentment, guilt and sadness, the stress hormone, cortisol, is secreted, increasing cortisol levels in your system? An elevated level of cortisol is associated with accelerated aging, brain cell death, muscle loss, weight gain, and delayed wound healing. In other words, negative emotions not only negatively impact your mental health, but also your physical health.
And when you experience positive emotions such as appreciation, care, peace, calm, and passion, the vitality hormone, DHEA, is secreted, increasing DHEA level in your system? An elevated level of DHEA is associated with longevity, good health, and improved performance. In other words, positive emotions not only positively impact your mental health, but also your physical health.
Did you know that when you experience negative emotions, your nervous system goes into chaos? The gas pedal and brake pedal of your nervous system stop working together and creates a random speeding up and slowing down of your digestive system, heart rate, breath rate, and blood pressure.
Think of driving your car while randomly pressing on the brake and gas pedals. What happens to the energy/fuel consumption? Goes up - you burn through the energy.
What happens to your car, longterm? Mechanical wear and tear - it breaks down.
What is your ride like? Bumpy, jerky - not fun.
When you experience negative emotions and your nervous system is in chaos, like the car, you burn through your energy, your body breaks down from the wear and tear, and your ride through life is jerky and not fun.
Did you know that when you experience positive emotions, your nervous system is in a state of harmony? The gas pedal and brake pedal work together, gently speeding up and slowing down bodily processes, in a state of coherence.
This state of coherence is the desired state for health, happiness, resilience, and social harmony.
We have the power to create this state of coherence, to use our energy intelligently, to secrete DHEA instead of cortisol, and improve our immunity!
It is the power to choose our emotions! (I didn’t know we could.)
Now, I don’t know about you, but I am pretty good at fooling myself into thinking that I feel relatively positive enough: “I feel fine”, “It is what it is”, “It’s not that big of a deal”.
But this is just lying to myself; I am actually still experiencing negative emotions and my nervous system is still in chaos.
How do I know there’s still chaos?
Because it is measurable!
I have an Inner Balance Sensor with an app on my phone that measures my nervous system and let’s me know how chaotic or coherent it is. With the feedback displayed on my phone as I use the sensor, I learned how it feels to truly be in a state of coherence and not stressing. It also taught me how to get to that state of coherence, on demand, anywhere, anytime.
Having the Inner Balance Sensor has been monumental for the transformative shifts I have experienced in the past few years. With guidance from the app and with practice, I have created more harmony in my nervous system that has translated to less stress, more calm, and a focused mind.
And you can have all this, too!
Get your Inner Balance Sensor here now, and experience less stress and more calm.
Or give the gift of Inner Balance to your children, friends, or co-workers.
Imagine a world where we had the tools and skills to regulate our emotions, decrease stress, and create peace inside us and around us. Do you want that? Get started now with your Inner Balance Sensor!
Here’s to conquering stress,
With heart,
Louise
The Stress Experts
(1) Rein, G., M. Atkinson, and R. McCraty, The physiological and psychological effects of compassion and anger. Journal of Advancement in Medicine, 1995. 8(2): p. 87-105
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