07/28/2025
We are suppose to exercise both our sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) autonomic nervous systems. Many people that I see in massage therapy have some of these subtle trauma response symptoms. (Second half of this post is solution practice.)
What Dorsal Vagal Shutdown
Key Traits (Functional Immobilization)
1. Physical Signs
• Slumped posture, dropped head or gaze
• Low muscle tone or minimal movement
• Flat or pale facial expression
• Monotone or very quiet speech (if speaking at all)
• Shallow, slow, or almost imperceptible breathing
• Lack of eye contact (but not the anxious avoidance you’d see in sympathetic fight/flight)
2. Emotional & Psychological Cues
• Seeming “checked out” or “not fully there” — dissociation
• Numbness, apathy, or disinterest
• Difficulty responding to stimuli — as if frozen
• Flat affect or limited facial expression
• Despair, hopelessness, or deep fatigue
• Withdrawal from connection (even if someone is physically present)
3. Behavioral Patterns
• Saying “I don’t know” frequently (even about things they do know)
• Passive, avoidant, or overly compliant behavior
• Suddenly falling asleep or yawning during conversation (can be autonomic, not boredom)
• Inability to act even when action is needed (paralysis or collapse)
• Extreme politeness or appeasement without real presence (if dorsal is blending with fawn)
Do people have traumatic lives? Or do people have relatively safe lives but their autonomic nervous system lacks proper stimulation? It’s very important that we regularly do things that stimulates both sympathetic and parasympathetic responses in safe ways.
To restore healthy autonomic function:
• Dorsal vagal nerve response to sympathetic: Reintroduce mobilization gently (e.g., shaking, walking, breathwork).
• Sympathetic to ventral vagal: Use co-regulation, safety cues, breath, voice to return to calm/social states.
Healthy Sympathetic Activation (Mobilization / Energy / Focus)
These methods deliberately activate the sympathetic system — not as a trauma response, but as a tool to build capacity, strength, and nervous system adaptability.
🏋️♂️ FITNESS & MOVEMENT
• High-Intensity Training (HIT) — especially brief, intense sets to failure
• Heavy compound lifts (e.g., deadlifts, squats)
• Sprint intervals / Tabata style workouts
• Strongman or power-based training
• Controlled cold exposure before training
• Training fasted to heighten alertness and catecholamine response
🧘♂️ YOGA & BREATH
• Kapalabhati (skull-shining breath) – rapid breath stimulating alertness
• Breath retention on inhale (e.g., Wim Hof method)
• Fire element vinyasa – fast, powerful flow sequences
• Warrior pose holds with deep ujjayi breath
• Backbends (e.g., wheel, upward dog) – energizing, heart-opening
💆 MASSAGE & BODYWORK
• Percussive therapy (e.g., Theragun, tapotement techniques)
• Friction-based deep tissue work – can stimulate alertness
• Sports massage pre-event – to “wake up” the system
• Vibration therapy (localized stimulation)
🌿 Healthy Parasympathetic Activation (Rest / Repair / Reconnection)
These methods decrease sympathetic tone and enhance vagal activity, inviting recovery, integration, and deep presence — vital for trauma resilience, healing, and longevity.
🧘♀️ YOGA & BREATH
• Slow nasal breathing with extended exhale (e.g., 4–7–8, 6–6)
• Restorative yoga (bolstered poses held 5–10+ min)
• Yin yoga – passive stretching stimulates fascial release + parasympathetic shift
• Alternate nostril breathing (Nadi Shodhana)
• Forward folds (e.g., child’s pose, seated fold)
• Gentle twisting and side-bending – tones vagus nerve
💆 MASSAGE & BODYWORK
• Swedish massage – long, slow effleurage strokes
• Craniosacral therapy
• Abdominal massage – stimulates vagus, promotes gut-brain feedback
• Facial and jaw massage – engages cranial nerves linked to ventral vagal tone
• Slow lymphatic drainage – supports rest and detox
🛌 RECOVERY HABITS
• Cold exposure after exercise (for recovery, not stress)
• Warm baths / hydrotherapy
• Yoga nidra or non-sleep deep rest (NSDR)
• Grounding in nature (barefoot, sensory immersion)
• Eye-gazing and safe social bonding
This trains nervous system flexibility, not just strength or calm — you’re building resilience, adaptability, and conscious regulation, the true goal of Forge Wellness.n
