A mental model that has served me well in this journey of growth and optimal mental health is to view the process as if we are learning how to be experts at river kayaking. The river being life, the kayak being your body-vehicle and the paddles being your breath. A wild and beautiful journey that requires presence and power to stay centered, present and "in control" as you make the most of whatever terrain you find yourself in.
Before you can embark on a river kayak journey, joyfully riding into the rapids and knowing when and how to re-fuel and restore, first you must get to know the tools and map.
When we live unconsciously, your kayak and paddle may feel like they are working against you. Perhaps you notice you have paddling patterns that are not appropriate nor efficient. It would prove helpful to know how and why to use various paddling strategies as well as how to self-track so you can know what kind of state your kayak is in and how you unconsciously paddle in certain states versus how to notice and then choose how to consciously paddle.
In order to do this, I have found Stephen Porge’s Polyvagal Theory to be extremely helpful. It is a template to see how the nervous system works and why tools of self-compassion are necessary to develop patience and loving space for learning and growing, because being a beginner is not easy.
Before we dive into polyvagal theory, let’s review the Autonomic Nervous System:
The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) controls involuntary responses to regulate physiological functions in our major organs in relation to danger and safety signals internally and externally. We evolved to switch attention instantly when we sense danger: the snapping twig that might signal an approaching predator, or the shadow that could indicate an enemy behind a tree. Our goal-directed, or top-down, mental activities stand little chance against these bottom-up forces of novelty and saliency — stimuli that are unexpected, sudden or dramatic, or that evoke memories of important experiences.
While we are immediately impacted by the signals relayed via our ANS - as they are automatic - we also have the capacity to consciously take control of our Nervous System when it's signals and reactions have proven to be maladaptive.
"One general way of considering the distinction between these perception modes is that with the bottom-up we are experiencing the mind as a conduit of sensory experience whereas in top-down we are additionally a constructor of information. A conduit enables something to flow freely, directing that flow but not changing it much; a constructor is fueled by input and generates its own input, a transformation that changes the fuel into another form: It constructs a new layer of representational information beyond the initial sensory input. The mind can be a Bottom-Up Conduit and Top-Down Constructor...Without Constructor, we don’t learn; without Conduit, we don’t feel...Differentiate and then link the two, and we become integrated."
- Daniel Siegal, MIND
We influence our ANS top-down and bottom-up with our emotions, feelings, sensations, thoughts and conscious or unconscious meaning-making. The healthy functioning of the Autonomic Nervous System is central to our physical and mental well-being. And to develop the habit and skill of optimizing your Nervous System will open up gateways you may not know are possible yet. When you feel good, life feels good. When you tune into a sense of flow within, life begins to flow with ease. When you understand how to get yourself into that ideal and optimal state, suddenly the roadblocks or struggles that once plagued you begin to unravel and release in the present moment.
The Polyvagal theory can be understood with the image of an upside down traffic light with three main states of Green, Yellow and Red. This theory also aligns nicely with the Window of Tolerance (coined by Daniel Siegal), and so I will speak to both.
The Window of Tolerance is a term used to describe the zone of arousal in which a person is able to function, learn and heal most effectively. When people are within this zone, they are typically able to readily receive, process and integrate information and otherwise respond to the demands of everyday life without much difficulty. In polyvagal theory, this same zone is referred to as The Social Engagement System, because it is the state where we can be present, open, and connected to ourselves, others, nature and spirit.
While there are many benefits to expanding your window of tolerance and spending more time in that optimal zone, one major reason for practicing this expansion is that those who spend more time outside of the window of tolerance (in Hyperarousal or Hypoarousal) have a higher rate and re-occurrence of disruptive mental health afflictions.
Hyperarousal is our first line of defense when we are triggered by stimuli of danger (which is objective and subjective). It is the fight or flight system, or sympathetic system, or limbic hijack, or Sympathetic Overdrive. All of these names are pointing to the same state - an overactive mind and body that is unsettled with a surge of cortisol and adrenaline. In polyvagal theory, the window of tolerance is the green light, and this sympathetic reaction of mobilizing with fear is considered the yellow light; i.e. proceed with caution.
Hypoarousal is the next line of defense when we have not been able to find or feel safety, the body engages the shutdown response. We move into Red - full stop. Once in this immobilized with fear zone, it takes a lot more effort to activate the system, find and feel safety, and make our way back into the window of tolerance.
For me, having language and understanding of this wise and protective system has supported me in letting go of any shame or judgement in thinking that something is wrong with me when I fall into bouts of depression or shutdown. I have a visual of how my nervous system works and I do not expect that I can function long-term when I allow myself to remain in a hyper-aroused state. I engage in self-tracking throughout the day to notice what I am feeling, how I am breathing, what I am thinking, and I regulate myself so that I do not spend more time than necessary in either of my survival states. The polyvagal theory makes this simple:
“Am I in green, yellow or red? What do I need now to hold space for what I am noticing and gently regulate myself in needed?”
While there are specific breath techniques that can support the process of increasing the window of tolerance and accessing more loving presence on a daily basis, the first step is to simply get into the practice of self-tracking to see yourself more clearly and what patterns your nervous system engages in.
To take this a step further, and to see the polyvagal theory weaved into the window of tolerance, I have created the image below. It shows Hyperarousal and Hypoarousal on the periphery, to represent what it looks like and feels like when the window of tolerance is a thin line between these two survival states, and how we can actually experience both hyperarousal and hypoarousal simultaneously.
The center circle is the window of tolerance, and as it expands it does not exclude us from experiencing agitation or shutdown. However, it gives us access to the ability to remain present, loving and compassionate with ourselves as we move through these natural states (and hopefully, without remaining there for very long). This expansive window also gives us access to two hybrid states:
Sympathetic system and social engagement together, as healthy competition, intense focus or exuberant playfulness.
“Shutdown response” (also known as the dorsal branch of the vagus nerve) is met with social engagement, which allows us to slow down mindfully, cuddle, meditate and engage in restorative activities.
I hope this brief tutorial through your autonomic nervous system has sparked some insight and given you access to a little more compassion as you witness and experience your patterns through the lens of the polyvagal theory and window of tolerance.
For more support, reach out for a consultation.
marinmccue@gmail.com