Reflexology and Stress

Reflexology is often touted to de-stress but how? It's obviously relaxing to get your feet thoroughly worked on but the treatment also activates the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS).

If you've had reflexology you might have noticed that you start to feel sleepy and relaxed or, you'll often notice that your stomach is working loud and clear for all to hear. This is a sign that the parasympathetic nerve network is kicking in. It's one of 3 divisions of the autonomic (automatic/unconscious) nervous system. It's the opposite of our "Fight or Flight" (sympathetic nervous system).

The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for healing and digestion, it's function is to relax the body and it helps run life-sustaining processes like digestion when you feel safe and relaxed.

What happens when it's engaged? It slows our heart rate, breathing rate, lowers blood pressure and promotes digestive function. We enter a deep state of relaxation where recovery and healing can occur. You might notice that your extremities get cold because the blood is routed away from hands and feet and back to our center to allow your body to digest and repair.

• Key areas that the PNS affects - Lungs, heart, bladder and stomach

• Vagus nerve - An estimated 75 percentTrusted Source of all parasympathetic nerve fibers in the body come from this nerve. This nerve has branches in many key organs, including the stomach, kidneys, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, bladder, anal sphincter, vagina, and penis.

• Actions of the PNS - Constricts pupils; causes salivation; slows down the heart rate; tightens the bronchi in the lungs; enacts digestion; releases bile; makes the bladder contract