Dive deep into the three branches of the autonomic nervous system as outlined by Polyvagal Theory. Learn how understanding these responses can empower you to regulate your emotions, reduce burnout, and cultivate emotional well-being.
In our previous blog, we discussed how burnout and Polyvagal Theory is something we’re deeply passionate about because it gets to the root of the issue rather than treating the symptoms. Today, let’s dive even deeper into how we can use Polyvagal Theory to really navigate our emotions and create truly sustainable, long lasting recovery from burnout.
One of the biggest reasons we’re passionate about burnout is because it has a massive effect on emotional and physical health. If you’ve experienced (or are currently experiencing) burnout, you probably know what I mean. If you’re not sure if you have, think about the last time you experienced burnout. Did you have any muscle pain or headaches? What about chronic fatigue, feeling absolutely exhausted even after getting enough rest? Did you have insomnia, or difficulty falling and/or staying asleep? Some other common physical symptoms of burnout are GI issues (stomach pain, nausea, etc.), changes in appetite, heart palpitations, dizziness, and many others.
Especially in the corporate world, burnout is often approached with “quick fix” solutions to “get over it” quickly, often in an effort to mitigate costs of treatment and get “back to business.” The reality is that even if it seems “fixed” on the outside, if we don’t get to the root of burnout then the problem is going to rear its head again, likely with more intensity than before. Not only does this come at a cost to the employee’s wellness, it also costs the company vital resources to try many “bandaid” fixes instead of getting to the root of the issue for long lasting change and increased productivity.
Rather than first asking, “How to stop burnout at work?” we should ask things like how to avoid, prevent, or reduce burnout all together.
Even if we recognize physical symptoms of burnout and know to attribute them to stress, at the very least, recognizing and naming emotional symptoms of burnout is on a whole different and deeper level. Some emotional symptoms include detachment or dissociation from work, irritability, anxiety, depression, feelings of inadequacy, imposter syndrome, and lack of motivation/satisfaction. Cynicism is another emotional symptom, but one that’s often overlooked when thinking about burnout. If you’ve thought something along the lines of, “There’s no use in trying to make changes here, they just won’t listen” or “It doesn’t matter what they say they’ll do, nothing ever actually happens” then you might have some cynical tendencies coming up.
If you’re reading this and it sounds all too familiar either about yourself or an employee of yours, click here to schedule a free 15-minute discovery call to learn more about hiring Gabrielle to speak at your next conference, retreat, or event!
To get a better understanding of how to use the Polyvagal Theory to help navigate our emotions within burnout recovery, let’s unpack the three main branches of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). The ANS plays a critical role in the Polyvagal Theory. The three primary branches of the ANS are the Ventral Vagal Complex (VVC), Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS), and the Dorsal Vagal Complex (DVC).
The VVC is essentially in charge of the ways we socialize and connect with other people, as well as our ability to feel calm and sustain a feeling of safety. When the VVC is activated, we experience feeling safe and connected to others, which is often demonstrated by smiling, making eye contact, and active listening.
The SNS is the one responsible for responses such as fight and flight that are activated during perceived or actual threats. The SNS prepares the body for action, which can look different for everyone and even different for the same person in different circumstances.
The DVC is commonly referred to as the most protective complex or state, as it often involves completely shutting down, major dissociation, and even collapsing. The DVC is also commonly referred to as the “freeze” response.
Now that we have a good understanding of the three branches of the ANS, we can explore more of how they interact with one another and how that impacts our ability to regulate emotions, manage stress, and ultimately recover from burnout in a sustainable manner.
- Awareness
For sustainable burnout recovery, it is vital that you first recognize which branch of the ANS is activated for you during different situations. Some people find it helpful to create a log where they track stressors and the subsequent physical and emotional responses they have. Write down the stressor and what happened, how you responded internally and externally, and any other factors you find important. After some time, you may be able to see a pattern in how you respond and you can match those responses with our explanations in the previous section.
- Self-Regulation
Once you’ve achieved a reliable sense of awareness as to how you respond to certain stressors, the next step is to build self-regulation skills in order to better handle those stressors.
Activating the VVC promotes a sense of safety and calmness. While every technique might not work for each individual, some good starting places with VVC activation are deep breathing, meditation, mindfulness, and grounding exercises. Most of those techniques might indicate solo regulation, but building social connection can be extremely beneficial for many people as well. Engaging in activities with people who are life-giving and loving is often an excellent way to promote a sense of safety.
If you need to emphasize regulating the SNS in response to stressors, this might involve releasing excessive adrenaline through physical activity, relaxation techniques like progressive muscle relaxation, or even visualization. Addressing the adrenaline rush is imperative for those of us whose acute stress responses are physically intense.
DVC regulation is necessary when one’s response is shutting down or collapsing in response to stress. To re-engage with stress and continue working toward burnout recovery, one should slowly and safely re-engage with the environment with support. Start with small, simple, and manageable engagements. Having support may involve co-workers, family members, or friends, but it also likely will involve professional therapy that is trauma-informed to be most effective.
Curious how to achieve these goals for yourself or your company? Book a call with us today and we would LOVE to help!
3. Lifestyle Adjustments
If you are experiencing an intense response to stress and it is leading to or has led to burnout in the workplace, making some adjustments to your lifestyle is likely to be helpful. Examine what would help the most–is it regular exercise, better quality/more sleep, a more balanced diet, more meaningful and uplifting social activities?
Prioritize practices and activities that are more likely to lead to a balanced ANS. This may involve trauma-informed professional therapy. Create an environment both at home and at work that is safe and supportive so you feel at peace as much of the time as possible.
Recovery is not a linear process in general, and burnout recovery is no exception. To heal and grow from burnout, it is crucial to understand how our bodies and minds react to stressors. While this may seem daunting, taking small, actionable steps toward awareness and self-regulation can create a sense of safety and connection to help our wellbeing both at work, home, and within ourselves.
Have patience with yourself, and persevere to the goal you deserve of gaining control of your emotional health while building resilience and creating a balanced lifestyle.
Love what you’ve read and want to hear more, or want someone to explain it who’s an expert in the field? Schedule a 15-minute discovery call to learn more about hiring Gabrielle to speak at your next conference, retreat, or event.
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