Ep 38: Managing Pain & Injuries via Nervous System Regulation Pt. 1

The nervous system plays a pivotal role in reducing pain, and as you and your students journey through the maze of managing it, know that it's worth understanding, so that you can have handy tips and strategies in your toolkit. Understanding how to target this complex system can be a game changer. It can influence how you might speak with & teach your students who are managing pain and injuries.

In this episode, I share specific exercises and techniques designed to engage and regulate the nervous system. These practices are rooted in both science and holistic approaches and help to calm your body's pain responses, promote healing and provide powerful solutions for pain reduction.

Whether you're looking to work with private clients and help compliment their existing treatments or explore new avenues for relief (that you can even teach in your group classes) these techniques offer different approaches to managing pain via nervous system regulation and can easily be added to your group classes.

Yoga for Injury Management: 8-week Mentorship
https://www.enhanced-body.com/yoga-for-injury-management

Transcript

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As we continue to journey through the maze of managing and reducing pain. Remember your nervous system plays a pivotal role, understanding how to target and influence this complex system can be a game changer for how you might speak with students and teach students who are managing pain and injuries. And for those dealing with chronic acute. Or persistent pain. In this episode, I'll share with you specific exercises and techniques designed to engage and regulate the nervous system. These practices are rooted in both science and holistic approaches. Can help calm the body's pain responses. Promote healing and provide a powerful tool set for pain reduction. Whether you're looking to work with private clients and help compliment their existing treatments or explore new avenues for relief. That you can even teach in your group classes. These techniques offer different approaches to managing pain. Through the nervous system. And again, these can easily be added to your group classes. Welcome to the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers podcast with me. I'm Monica Bright, and I've been teaching yoga and running my yoga business for over a decade. This is the podcast for you if you're a yoga teacher, you're looking for support, you love to be in conversation, and you're a lifelong student. In this podcast, I'll share with you My life as a yoga teacher, the lessons I've learned, my process for building my business, and helpful ideas, tools, strategies, and systems I use and you can use so that your business thrives. We'll cover a diverse range of topics that will help you whether you're just starting out or you've got years under your belt and you want to dive deep and set yourself up for success. I'm so glad you're here. Listen, I don't take myself too seriously, so expect to hear some laughs along the way. Now, let's do this together. Welcome back to the podcast. This episode is going to give you a number of ways to work with students or your private clients in pain. I've mentioned before and it's worth mentioning again, that physical exercises are just one piece of the puzzle. And oftentimes there are many other pieces We should be putting into place even before we think about movement. And again, These are techniques that you can add to your classes that even if students aren't currently in pain or have an injury. They'll still teach them how to pay attention and regulate their own nervous systems. Which will in turn, transferred to their lives off the mat either while they're navigating pain and injury, or maybe while they're dealing with a coworker, a family member or a friend. So let's get straight into it. The first technique is deep diaphragmatic breathing. Now, I know that diaphragmatic breathing has caught some flack over the past few years with physical therapists complaining about patients coming in with their. Quote, unquote, yoga breath. However, deep breathing is one of the best ways to calm yourself. And sued a dysregulated nervous system. To be fair. This is not the type of breathing. One should adopt all the time. Even for the entirety of a yoga class. That's unnecessary. Instead, utilizing the breath for its intention to regulate your nervous system. Let's back up for a bit of an anatomy review. The diaphragm is a large dome shaped muscle that is located at the base of your lungs and plays a crucial role in the process of breathing, the diaphragm sits just below the lungs and the heart separating the thoracic cavity, where the lungs and heart are located. From the abdominal cavity. It attaches to the lower ribs, the spine and the sternum forming a curved. I don't like shape. As the primary muscle of respiration, it is essential not only for effective breathing, but also for regulating the nervous system and promoting overall wellbeing. During inhalation, the diaphragm contracts and flattens creating more space in the chest cavity. This expansion allows the lungs to fill with air as they draw oxygen into the body. As the diaphragm relaxes during exhalation, it moves back into its dome shape, helping to push air out of the lungs. In diaphragmatic breathing as the diaphragm contracts, the abdomen expands, outward, allowing for deeper and more efficient breaths. This type of breathing is associated with better oxygen exchange and more efficient lung function. When your breath is shallow, you primarily use your chest muscles, which lead to inefficient oxygen exchange and increased tension. In your body, shallow breathing is often linked to stress and anxiety. And for some people, even back pain, as it can activate the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the fight or flight response. Diaphragmatic breathing is closely tied to the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the rest and digest response. When you breathe deeply and slowly using the diaphragm, it stimulates the Vegas nerve, a major component of the parasympathetic nervous system. This activation helps to reduce heart rate. Lower blood pressure and promote relaxation throughout your body. And it promotes a shifting away from the stress induced sympathetic state and towards a more balanced parasympathetic state or a balance between the two. You shouldn't hang out in parasympathetic state all the time, nor should you hang out in the sympathetic state, but a good balance between the two is optimal. The shift helps to calm your mind, reduce anxiety and decrease the physiological stress response. Through its impact on the nervous system, diaphragmatic breathing can also help modulate pain by reducing muscle tension, lowering the perception of pain and interrupting the pain cycle, particularly in chronic and persistent conditions. Do you already teach diaphragmatic breathing? How often do you teach it? And are you asking students to breathe this way? Throughout the entire class. Since we know that diaphragmatic breathing helps to calm the nervous system. It would be wise to be very intentional about when it's appropriate to teach or practice this breath technique. For example, at the start of a power Vinyasa classes, not the best time instead before restorative or Yan classes or prior to a meditation or yoga nidra class, those times would be. More optimal. Next is progressive muscle relaxation or PMR. Progressive muscle relaxation is a relaxation technique that involves systematically tensing and then slowly releasing different muscle groups within the body. It was developed by an American physician, edmund Jacobson in the early 20th century. PMR is designed to help people become more aware of physical tension. And learn to reduce it, which in turn can lead to overall relaxation and wellbeing. Before I explain how it works. Remember you cannot isolate singular muscle groups in your body. You can focus on them. However, everything is connected. So surrounding soft tissues quite possibly will get involved in this exercise. In PMR, you would attempt to focus on one muscle group at a time deliberately tensing the muscles. For about five to 10 seconds and then releasing the tension while paying close attention to the sensation of relaxation that follows. The process typically begins with the muscles in the feet and gradually moves up the body to the calves thighs. Chest. Arms, shoulders, neck, and face. When you teach people to consciously tense and relax their muscles, you teach them to become more attuned and aware to the sensations of tension in their body. This heightened awareness can help them recognize and address physical tension in daily life before it leads to chronic stress or pain. So teaching awareness is really the key here. PMR, primarily engages the parasympathetic nervous system, which again is responsible for the rest and digest response. By focusing on muscle relaxation, it encourages a shift away from the sympathetic nervous system. Helping to calm the body and reduce physiological arousal associated with stress. Regular practice of PMR can lead to lower levels of stress hormones like cortisol. And by decreasing these hormones, it aids in the reduction of physical symptoms of stress, such as an elevated heart rate, high blood pressure and muscle tension. PMR can also be used to help people unwind before sleep, as it promotes relaxation and reduces tension. It can also help improve the quality of sleep, which is crucial for recovery and overall health. Imagine teaching a bit of this at the start of your restorative or meditation classes. To me, it sounds like bliss. One of the primary benefits of PMR is the ability to reduce stress and anxiety. As a body relaxes the mind also tends to calm down, which can lead to a decrease in anxious, thoughts and feelings. And I think we all know how challenging. Restorative and meditative practices can be for students who struggle to quiet their minds. One outcome that I love about PMR is that it increases body awareness. Helping your students recognize and respond to physical signs of stress or tension before they become overwhelming. Which leads to better stress management and overall wellbeing. And finally as PMR helps regulate the nervous system and also contributes. To improve emotional regulation. Think about it when your body is relaxed, it's easier to manage emotions like frustration, anger, or anxiety. Think about how you can incorporate this technique into your group classes, where would it be appropriate to teach and where wouldn't it be? Also, if you're working with private clients, ask yourself if this is a technique you can add to your toolkit. Speaking of toolkits. That's exactly what I want you to be considering as you listen to these episodes. How can you add the information you're learning? To your wealth of knowledge. Can you practice deciding what techniques or exercises might work? And remember sometimes it's trial and error. When I work with my private clients, I always ask them for feedback. I'll say, we're going to try something new. Let me know how this feels for you during the teaching right afterwards. And maybe even over the next few days, Uh, third technique is mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation involves bringing one's full attention to the present moment with a nonjudgmental accepting attitude. It encourages awareness of thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and the surrounding environment in a calm and observant manner, rather than reacting to them. This practice has profound effects on nervous system regulation. Helping to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and enhance overall wellbeing. During mindfulness meditation, people learn to focus on their breathing. Bodily sensations or other focal points. Such as sounds or visual objects while allowing thoughts and emotions to arise and pass without getting caught up in them. The goal is to maintain awareness of the present moment rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. A key component of mindfulness. Is cultivating a nonjudgmental attitude. This means observing whatever arises in the mind or body without labeling it as good or bad. This acceptance can reduce the stress associated with trying to control or resist certain thoughts and feelings. The practice of mindfulness can help reduce the activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Someone who experiences chronic activation of the sympathetic nervous system due to stress has firsthand experience with it leading to increased anxiety, tension, and other health issues. But mindfulness helps shift the balance toward the sympathetic side, creating a state of calm and reducing stress related symptoms. A consistent mindfulness meditation practice has been shown to promote. Neuro-plasticity remember. That's your brain's ability to change and adapt. This can enhance your brain's capacity to regulate emotional responses, which can ultimately lead to greater resilience to stressors in your life. Over time, mindfulness via neuro-plasticity can rewire your brain to respond to stressors in a more balanced, mindful, and ease, awful way. By practicing mindfulness and awareness, you improve focus and attention by training your mind to stay present. Leading to better cognitive function. And reduced mental clutter often associated with stress and anxiety. Finally mindfulness meditation can also play a significant role in pain management. Uh, by focusing on the present moment and observing pain without judgment. You learn to reduce the emotional And psychological impact of pain, which often amplifies the physical sensation. So, how can you apply mindfulness meditation? In your day to day life. You can practice it daily, even for just a few minutes. Start your day sitting quietly walking, or even while engaging in daily activities like eating or washing the dishes. One of the simplest forms of mindfulness meditation is mindful breathing by focusing on the sensation of the breath as it moves in. An out of the body. This practice alone can significantly calm the nervous system. And finally a body scan. Where the attention is systematically directed to different parts of the body. Noticing sensations without judgment. This can help release tension and promote relaxation. Can you teach these methods in your classes or private client sessions? Absolutely. You can. And I would ask you to try to do it more often. Teach it before, after, or even during class. And see how it elevates the experience. That your students have with you. The final technique that I'll share on this episode is guided imagery. Guided imagery is a relaxation technique that involves using the imagination. To create vivid Positive mental images. Often with the guidance of a teacher or an audio recording, this practice helps engage your mind in a way that can influence. Physical and emotional wellbeing, making it a powerful tool for nervous system regulation. It leverages the power of the bind to create detailed and calming scenarios that promote relaxation and healing. These scenarios could involve visualizing peaceful landscapes. Seeing oneself engaging in pleasant activities, or even imagining your body healing itself. Guided imagery is not strictly limited to visual imagery. It can and often does incorporate other senses, such as sound, smell, touch, and taste. To make the experience more immersive. For example, a person might imagine the sound of ocean waves, the smell of pine trees, or the feeling of warm sunlight on their skin. When I teach during my international yoga retreats, most, if not, all of the classes are without music. Because I'm using guided imagery to connect retreat goers to the ocean. To wildlife and the world around them. If I'm teaching yoga in the park, I'm referring to the trees, the breeze, the birds, and so on. I am purposely trying to tie the class in with the experience of imagery. This makes for memorable classes and experiences for your students. Imagine how effective guided imagery can be to help. Counterbalance the fight or flight response triggered by the sympathetic nervous system. When you help students shift, focus away from stressors and towards calming mental images, the practice reduces the body's stress response, leading to lower levels of cortisol, which is the stress hormone. Quickly, I'm going to walk you through how to teach. Guided imagery. So you would start by guiding your students or your private clients to a comfortable position. That's either sitting or lying down. In a quiet environment and encourage them to close their eyes if they feel comfortable doing so. Then guide them to take a few deep breaths to help them settle in. Begin by describing a peaceful scene or scenario in detail. For example, you might say. Imagine you're walking through a lush green forest. The air is cool. And Chris, and you can hear the gentle rustling of leaves. As a soft breeze passes through the trees. You feel completely safe. And at ease here. Don't rush. Give students time to imagine. Encourage them to engage all of their senses. What do they see? What do they hear? What do they feel? What did they smell? And even what might they taste? The more vivid and detailed the imagery, the more effective it'll be. You can incorporate positive affirmations or suggestions for relaxation and healing. For example, you could say. As you breathe in the fresh year, you feel a deep sense of calm. Washing over you. With each breath. Your body becomes more relaxed. And any tension or pain begins to melt away. Continue on with the imagined experience. And after spending some time in the guided imagery, gradually bring your student back to the present moment. Suggest that they slowly become aware of their surroundings. Gently wiggle their fingers and toes. And when they're ready. Open their eyes. Encourage them to carry the sense of calm and relaxation with them as they continue on. With their day. And encourage regular practice of guided imagery. Even if it's just for a few minutes, each day. Consistency helps reinforce the relaxation response. And enhances the benefits over time. Maybe you could even offer to make a recording to give to your students so that they can practice on their own. These specific exercises and techniques that I've shared with you on this episode are designed to engage and regulate the nervous system. These practices that I shared in this episode are rooted in both science and holistic approaches. They can help calm the body's pain responses. They promote healing and they provide a powerful tools that for pain reduction. Whether you teach group classes or work with private clients, you can also have techniques to compliment their existing treatments for pain. Or injury. Or help them explore new avenues for relief. Each one of these can easily be added to your classes and private sessions. So please try them out and I'd love it if you shared with me your outcomes and if you're okay with it, if you have a question about one of these techniques, Or how to incorporate them, ask it. And I'll answer it on a future podcast episode. That would be fun because I'm sure the question you have other teachers have as well. I would love to do that for you. I truly enjoy talking about pain, pain, science, and recovery strategies. And I want all the teachers of movement to understand how a working knowledge of it can enhance your teaching. We don't talk about pain and injuries enough in the yoga world. And if we're teachers of movement, we need an understanding of it. I hope that this episode sparks some deeper thought around why understanding pain, relief strategies. Are so important as a movement teacher. I've added a link in the show notes for you to send me a quick text message about your thoughts on this episode. Or any other, I won't know your phone number. It's just a cool addition to the platform that I use that allows for this new and easy way for you to communicate with me. Once you click on it, it will take you to your messages. Don't delete the code. That's how your message will get to me. And I would love to know your thoughts on this topic. I love diving into these conversations because there are so many important discussions to be had. In the teaching world. You know that my goal is for you to love the yoga teaching life and allow it to be fulfilling and rewarding. And sometimes it takes some work. And if you conversations to get there, If you love this episode, subscribe to the podcast. So you're always in the know when a new episode drops and share it with another yoga teacher who you think would love to be in on these conversations. Thank you for helping to spread the word about this podcast. If you've been taking notes in your journal, as you listen to these episodes, I'm so glad you are. And I would love to hear about it. Finally, don't forget to join my newsletter. That's just for yoga teachers. I've got some Exciting teachings coming soon. around the subject of pain and pain management. So I'll want to tell you all about them. The link is in the show notes below, and I would love for you to join it. So we can always stay connected. All right, that's it for now? Bye. Mhm.