Our 8 Senses & Parasympathetic Nervous System
Yes, we have 8 senses!
The 8 Senses
We have touch, taste, smell, hearing, and touch. But what about the other 3?
Interoception
Your brain’s representation of sensations from your own body. This sense is connected to thought, emotion, decision making, and our sense of self. It is the sense that answers the question, "How do I feel? And why?"
Proprioception
Your body's sense of position and movement of your limbs and trunk, sense of effort, force, and heaviness. This sense can aid in decreasing sensory-seeking behaviors (in a positive way, by feeding the body what it desires), and turning down the stress response, thus decreasing anxiety and depression.
Vestibular
Your body's sense that contributes to your ability to maintain balance and body posture. If you have vestibular dysfunction, you will have elevated levels of stress and anxiety, dizziness and loss of balance (seen in panic disorders and anxiety disorders). Emotional issues can be the main cause, or can aggravate an already malfunctioning vestibular system.
The Parasympathetic Nervous System
​In our bodies, we have a Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS), and the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS).
​The SNS is our "fight or flight" response, in reaction to stressors in our environment. The SNS signals the adrenal glands to release hormones called adrenaline (epinephrin) and cortisol. In today's society, children, teens, and adults are living in their SNS for a majority of their day due to work/life imbalance, screen-addictions, sedentary lifestyles, toxic environments, and unnatural/unclean nutrition. Spending a majority of your day/life in the SNS can lead to issues with memory and attention, high blood pressure, suppression of the immune system, digestive issues, high blood sugar, heart disease, anxiety/panic/mood disorders, and depression.
The PNS is our "rest and digest" response. When the PNS is activated, our body enters a state of relaxation. It slows our heart and breathing rates, lowers blood pressure, promotes digestion and recovery, and increases positive emotions. The more time we spend in this system, the healthier and happier we are, regardless of age. Examples of activities that activate your PNS are mild exercise and yoga, meditation, deep breathing, and nature. Crying (release of bottled emotion) can also be a symptom of PNS activation, which helps to restore the body to a state of balance.
There is a time and place for our SNS, and it is much needed in survival situations, but in today's day and age where a majority of our basic needs are met, we must learn how to activate our PNS to sustain health and happiness, and increase peace and gratitude.