You and I are here because we had an ancestor who either decided to run with their tail between their legs from a predator (flight) or beat the living daylights out of it (fight). They were able to do this because they evolved the Fight or Flight Response and we as modern humans still have this basic response built into us.
The fight or flight response injects adrenaline into our bloodstream, we start to hyperventilate for the extra needed oxygen, our heart rate increases together with the blood pressure, digestive organs become a low priority and are shutdown so that blood can be directed to areas that need it most such as the brain and major muscles. Blood is also diverted away from our hands and feet to prevent blood loss in the event of injury during fleeing or fighting. The stress brought on by the response kept us on our toes and ultimately enabled us to pass on our genes to present day.
On a related side note, you have heard the term "I was so scared I sheeped myself" - well one of the reasons is that the body wants to reduce mass and weight in the event that we need to run or fight which causes the feeling of wanting to defecate. Another reason is that predators have known to loose interest in prey that defecate themselves. I can kinda relate to not wanting to eat something covered in poo ;-)
Anyway, back to topic. However, while the fight or flight response was a great survival advantage back then - in modern society today it can serve as more of a survival disadvantage.
Today, stress is usually not related to being eaten and can be anything from the stress of debt (as in not being able to ever pay back Tom Nook in Animal Crossing) through to realizing that you forgot to wipe your botty - well at least you won't get eaten by a predator. While not exactly life threatening, the stress can still generate the same symptoms of high blood pressure, hyperventilation, hands and feet feeling light, lack of appetite and so on - your body is in constant fight or flight but there is nothing out there to eat you. You end up eating yourself up.
Once upon a time I used to look at folks with a deer-in-headlights expression when they recommended me to breathing exercises. Then I think it was actually the Marvel movie Dr Strange that gave me the inspiration to do research on breathing.
Breathing is the only vital function of the body that is controlled unconsciously that can also be controlled consciously too. I gave it a try by focusing on the action of breathing in, breathing out. Because I was focusing on controlling my breathing consciously, all thoughts in my mind cleared away. I experimented with thinking about something that got on my nut and then proceeded to breathe consciously. To my surprise, what I was ruminating about completely disappeared from my mind as I focused on breathing.
Studies show that rumination can cause inflammations in the body which is needless to say unhealthy - but stress and rumination is a double whammy that can seriously affect not only your health but outlook in life too.
For the breathing exercise to work however, you need to take a moment out of your schedule. If you can take a moment out to pee, poo, snack, coffee, pew pew then you can take a moment out to breathe.
Have you got a moment?
You and I are here because we had an ancestor who either decided to run with their tail between their legs from a predator (flight) or beat the living daylights out of it (fight). They were able to do this because they evolved the Fight or Flight Response and we as modern humans still have this basic response built into us.
The fight or flight response injects adrenaline into our bloodstream, we start to hyperventilate for the extra needed oxygen, our heart rate increases together with the blood pressure, digestive organs become a low priority and are shutdown so that blood can be directed to areas that need it most such as the brain and major muscles. Blood is also diverted away from our hands and feet to prevent blood loss in the event of injury during fleeing or fighting. The stress brought on by the response kept us on our toes and ultimately enabled us to pass on our genes to present day.
On a related side note, you have heard the term "I was so scared I sheeped myself" - well one of the reasons is that the body wants to reduce mass and weight in the event that we need to run or fight which causes the feeling of wanting to defecate. Another reason is that predators have known to loose interest in prey that defecate themselves. I can kinda relate to not wanting to eat something covered in poo ;-)
Anyway, back to topic. However, while the fight or flight response was a great survival advantage back then - in modern society today it can serve as more of a survival disadvantage.
Today, stress is usually not related to being eaten and can be anything from the stress of debt (as in not being able to ever pay back Tom Nook in Animal Crossing) through to realizing that you forgot to wipe your botty - well at least you won't get eaten by a predator. While not exactly life threatening, the stress can still generate the same symptoms of high blood pressure, hyperventilation, hands and feet feeling light, lack of appetite and so on - your body is in constant fight or flight but there is nothing out there to eat you. You end up eating yourself up.
Once upon a time I used to look at folks with a deer-in-headlights expression when they recommended me to breathing exercises. Then I think it was actually the Marvel movie Dr Strange that gave me the inspiration to do research on breathing.
Breathing is the only vital function of the body that is controlled unconsciously that can also be controlled consciously too. I gave it a try by focusing on the action of breathing in, breathing out. Because I was focusing on controlling my breathing consciously, all thoughts in my mind cleared away. I experimented with thinking about something that got on my nut and then proceeded to breathe consciously. To my surprise, what I was ruminating about completely disappeared from my mind as I focused on breathing.
Studies show that rumination can cause inflammations in the body which is needless to say unhealthy - but stress and rumination is a double whammy that can seriously affect not only your health but outlook in life too.
For the breathing exercise to work however, you need to take a moment out of your schedule. If you can take a moment out to pee, poo, snack, coffee, pew pew then you can take a moment out to breathe.
Have you got a moment?
While the head and hands will be vinyl - you have a choice of two different types of body - one is referred to as Cortex and the other as Vinyl. Both body types are pre-built.
