Heart rate variability and para v sympathetic nervous system

[Sallyagerharris]

I’ve just started with a Garmin watch and looking at my HRV plus heart rate much more seriously. I’m trying to work out my next steps … I’m 57 and have had ME since I was 41. Plummeted mentally after the rituxamib trial failed and withdrew from forums. Now I’m like blimey with long covid and technology things have changed. Plus a relatives long mental health journey has given me potential insight into what may have caused my ME. To make a very long story short I believe as I was adopted that my body went into “fight, flight or freeze” or sympathetic nervous system mode full time when I was given up by my birth mother.

Due to ongoing severe and complex trauma I went from one problem to another. At the age of 41 I part resolved some deep rooted issues, felt happy for the 1st time and wham ME. My relatives issue made me research attachment issues from adoption and led onto the para (rest, recover) v sympathetic (fight or flight) nervous system and how this affects heart rate varability.

From research I believe that ongoing meditation / yoga breathing and other factors can potentially put me back into para sympathetic nervous system mode. This may or may not make a difference to my ME but more importantly having currently an ongoing disastrous HRV reading probably means I’ve not much to loose.

i think the Gupta programme may follow a programme of breathing techniques that changes the sympathetic to para sympathetic nervous system. But I’m trying to find out if this is correct. In the meantime I’m practicing nose breathing exercises as a self starting point whilst I research not only the Gupta programme but to see if anyone else has any experience in this field.

 

[Judee]

I think the watch was a good first step.

I've found it helpful in distinguishing between herx and actual physical triggers to things like foods or treatments.

For instance, eggs, cashews, and dates all crash me badly and the watch reflects that. (So a negative + a negative = something I need to stay away from.)

However, two herbals I trialed this year made my ME feel worse but actually improved my watch numbers significantly. (So a negative + a positive might = herx and something that will make me feel better eventually.)

Also regarding Gupta, you might find the results of this poll helpful: https://forums.phoenixrising.me/threads/poll-has-anyone-recovered-with-the-gupta-program.83523/ ???

 

[Jyoti]

@Sallyagerharris -- I have two adopted daughters and I see from without the health-related impact of the emotional trauma that can arise from separation from their birth mothers. In other words, I understand perfectly your assessment that your SNS is on and PNS off as a result of that primal loss. And your sense that this has created some of your health challenges.

From research I believe that ongoing meditation / yoga breathing and other factors can potentially put me back into para sympathetic nervous system mode. This may or may not make a difference to my ME but more importantly having currently an ongoing disastrous HRV reading probably means I’ve not much to loose.

This makes sense. The interconnections between mental and physical health are very complex in my experience, and it does not necessarily follow that tinkering with one in a positive ways will shift the other. Sometimes that happens, I think, but obviously not always. And 'cure' is a big word, tossed around when discussing programs like DNRS or Gupta.

What you seem to be referencing here is quality of life. If you can dial your SNS down a bit your life will be better. And whether that shows up as a decrease in ME severity or not, you will feel better if you can relax and are not always in hypervigilant mode. Meditation is one of the most well-tested and reliable means of doing that, so as you say--nothing to lose.

I think many of us have found small hacks that really make a difference for us. And occasionally for one another. One of the most important for me--in terms of attempting to achieve more balance between SNS and PNS--has been the Apollo Neuro. Doesn't work for everyone and is not cheap, but neither is Gupta! https://forums.phoenixrising.me/threads/sympathetic-stuck-on-on.82340/