Morgana Lakatos-Hayward is a health coach and business owner of This Isn't a Diet where the primary focus is to help women lose weight without dieting and balance their hormones, blood sugar and gut health. She is the host of Listen to This When You're Done Dieting on Spotify, with her new book, Read This When You're Done Dieting on the way.
We all know about the gut-brain connection by now, but do you know about the nervous system-gut connection? Everything in our bodies is intertwined. One thing affects the other, even to the point where your nervous system may hit the pause button on your digestion.
We all have an autonomic nervous system, which comprises our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and automatically shifts between the two based on our perception of stress. When we are stressed, our bodies enter the sympathetic nervous system, redirecting blood flow to the limbs and away from vital organs, including the digestive system, to prepare for fight or flight. However, when we are relaxed, our bodies ease into the parasympathetic nervous system—the rest-and-digest state.
8 tips to hack your nervous system
Due to the fast-paced nature of our society, most of us live in a chronic state of stress, which, in turn, affects our gut health. Perhaps you have tried all the gut health remedies, herbs, and “fixes” imaginable but haven’t addressed one of the main principles of gut health: managing your cortisol.
Unfortunately, the medical system is overwhelmed with an influx of patients, leaving doctors with limited time to educate people about their bodies and different healing modalities. That’s where I step in. Here are eight simple and practical steps to activate your parasympathetic nervous system and get your gut moving again.
The 4-7-8 breathing technique
A fast and highly effective way to shift into your parasympathetic nervous system is through a breathing technique. Any breathing variation will work, but this is one of the best, preferred by both my clients and me.
Breathe in through your nose, filling up your belly and lungs for a count of four. Hold for a count of seven, then breathe out slowly through your mouth for a count of eight, making a “whooooshhh” sound. Repeat this four times daily.
Find three of your favorite cortisol-reducing activities
Make it a daily habit to do something for yourself that brings you ease. I recommend finding three of your favorite de-stressing activities that you can do in under five minutes. That way, when you feel overwhelmed, you can pull these out of your toolkit. Some of my personal favorites include short walks, having a cup of herbal tea outside, doing a face mask, and tummy massages.
Get 8–10 hours of quality sleep
Your sleep is vital to operating in your parasympathetic nervous system. In fact, when you are in deep sleep or REM sleep, your body naturally switches into this system. It is imperative to have a nighttime routine that does not include any devices to ensure proper melatonin release. And if you regularly pull all-nighters, you might want to think again. After 24 hours without sleep, the body responds similarly to having a blood alcohol level of 0.10%.
Ensure you are eating plenty of b vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and magnesium
B12 and magnesium are essential for breaking down cortisol. Some great food sources of B12 include eggs, chicken, beef, fish, milk, and nutritional yeast. For magnesium, try bananas, avocados, spinach, pumpkin seeds, broccoli, and dark chocolate.
Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and anxiety, along with providing a myriad of other health benefits. Try adding these foods to your diet: oily fish, seeds, olive oil, avocado, and walnuts.
Forest bathing
This ancient Japanese tradition is known for calming cortisol spikes, reducing anxiety and blood pressure, and providing mental clarity. It involves going for a walk in nature or simply immersing yourself in nature to reap these incredible benefits.
Regular exercise
Exercise is paramount to overall health. Given its dopamine and endorphin release, it can greatly lower stress levels. Yoga is an especially beneficial practice for this reason.
Massage
The luxury of a massage helps stimulate the lymphatic system, improve circulation, and allow the body to de-stress and enter its parasympathetic nervous system.
Meditation
Meditation is the last tip, but certainly not the least. In fact, this might be the most important tip, as meditation allows for mastery of the mind. When you take control of your thoughts, you take control of your stress and improve your gut health at the same time! Try to carve out 10 to 30 minutes daily to meditate. There are countless great apps and playlists to help, but I personally love and use the “One Giant Mind” app daily.
Although you might not have initially connected your nervous system, stress levels, and gut health, I hope this has given you clearer insight into how these systems are linked—and amazing tools to hack your way into your parasympathetic nervous system.
In my practice, we focus on primary food discussions and exercises to target key areas of your life that may be causing unending stress and harming your gut and overall health. Along with our hormonal, cortisol, gut, and blood sugar hacks, we take a therapeutic approach to healing holistically.
To book your free discovery call, uncover your obstacles, and create a personalized plan to reach your dream body and healing goals, head to this link.
Read more from Morgana Lakatos-Hayward
Morgana Lakatos-Hayward, Health Coach, Podcaster, Author
Morgana is a former world champion Latin dancer turned health coach. From making under $25k per year to now owning a thriving health coaching practice called: "This Isn't a Diet", a podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts "Listen to This When You're Done Dieting", and a book on the way entitled "Read This When You're Done Dieting", she has turned her financial situation around to become financially independent and open 6 different income streams. She is currently working on developing two more income streams and claims that her financial shift started with a simple mindset change.
References:
Ambrosini, Melissa, and Nick Broadhurst. Time Magic: Rethink Your Time, Reclaim Your Life. HarperCollins Australia, 2023.
LearnWell Books. Tools To Regulate Your Nervous System. LearnWell Books, 2023
