The Window of tolerance & Autonomic Ladder
As I have said in other videos, stress is NOT the problem! The real problem is an inadequate relaxation response, i.e. the lack of a parasympathetic reset back to a healthy baseline of relaxation. Note the staircase effect in the video above. Also keep in mind, Heeb’s Laws for neuroplasticity (Neurons that fire together wire together and Use it or lose it) Following years of an inadequate relaxation response the use it or lose it principle creates a steady state of chronic stress - i.e., an HABITUAL bipolar homeostasis of hyper-arousal and/or hypo-arousal.The autonomic nervous system has two branches. The sympathetic nervous system is the part of the autonomic nervous system that is activated when we trigger the fight or flight survival response. The parasympathetic nervous system is active when the threat OR stressors have passed so that we can return back to a baseline of relaxation. It's also known as the relaxation response. So the autonomic nervous system is a major player in stress, anxiety, and many of the stress related conditions that we face in our day to day lives.