Rest is Best - Boosting Fertility Health

There's definitely a winter theme here and that's prioritizing your body's needs. With that, lets Focusing on the power of the parasympathetic system and the importance of “rest and digest” especially when it comes to fertility.

It’s a cycle that is so easy to get caught up in. Being  constantly on the go, with entire days spent in a busy “fight or flight” mode (sympathetic) without any time for our bodies to really slow down and recharge.  When we spend our day rushing and stressing, our body’s natural instinct is to shut down on unnecessary organ functions (like the reproductive organs) and only focus on getting you away from that stressor. 

How Chronic "Flight or Fight" Shows Up In Our Bodies

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• Acceleration of heart rate and breathing
• Flushed skin or pale skin (or an alternating of both)
• Slowing digestion
• Constriction of blood vessels in many internal organs
• Liberation of metabolic energy sources (particularly fat and glycogen) for muscular action
• Dilation of blood vessels for muscles
• Dilation of pupil
• Inhibition of erection
• Loss of hearing
• Loss of peripheral vision
• Disinhibition of spinal reflexes
• Shaking

Rest and Digest Response

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• Constriction of pupils
• Decreased heart rate and breathing
• Drop in the blood pressure
• Stimulation of digestive glands
• Stimulation of secretion of saliva
• Increased blood flow to the reproductive organs
• Feelings of safety and wellbeing

​There are plenty of things that can assist in switching from fight or flight (sympathetic) to feed and breed (parasympathetic). Meditation, yoga, and mindfulness to name a few. One of the most effective ways to mitigate stress, however, is acupuncture.  What makes those "Acu Naps" so powerful is it quickly and efficiently gets your body into a parasympathetic state. 

Whether you are trying to conceive, get a better night’s sleep, or just lower your stress levels, SF Integrative Medicine is here to help you take your health in hand and find some inner calm.