Understanding Sympathetic Dominance
The Sympathetic Dominance (SD) Pattern is one of the most common pattern seen on many HTMA tests.
It is important to understand why this pattern exists and how you can work with your program to come out of the SD pattern.
Most of society is living under a lot of lifestyle stress where they are constantly working and worrying. The SD pattern is also known as the “flight or fight” pattern and I am seeing it more and more in recent years.
It is often seen in Type A personalities as well, but anyone can move in and out of the SD pattern. And some clients have SD tendencies even if their HTMA is not showing they are “fully” in this pattern. Ask your practitioner for help if you think you may be one of these clients.
When in the SD pattern it is difficult to heal due to the following:
The body lacks the energy it needs to heal as your “energy” is being used up when by staying in the “fight and flight” state too much of the time.
It is nearly impossible to detox effectively when stuck in the SD pattern since energy is required to detox and one’s energy is being drained through the SD lifestyle.
The adrenals are being drained and your hormones are not functioning effectively in the SD pattern. This leads to more burnout.
So what should you do to come out of the SD pattern?
Spend more time resting and getting adequate sleep. Many do not sleep enough and the body needs sleep to heal.
Spend time in self-care activities such as massage, deep breathing, and other healing modalities.
Time in the near infrared sauna shuts off the sympathetic nervous system and can be a great resource for coming out of the SD pattern.
Do nothing - yes, spend time doing nothing but resting. This can be tough for many but constantly doing “things”and even activities you love can keep you in the SD pattern. Learn to be still.
Develop stress management techniques - such as setting aside 5 minutes every hour to STOP working and do deep breathing. The four to six count breath where you inhale for four counts, pause, and exhale for 6 counts will slow down the heart rate, lower BP, and shut off the sympathetic nervous system. Repeat this for 5 minutes every hour or as often as possible during the day. Set a timer to remind you to take “breathing breaks”.
Do Yin Yoga regularly as this type of yoga is meditative and forces one to slow down.
Take slow nature walks, focusing on your breathing and being grateful.
Create good habits by setting aside time to rest. This may mean setting boundaries such as stopping work at a set time each day. Limit work hours!
Set boundaries for your relationships assuring others do not place unfair demands on you and your time. Certainly emergencies will arise from time to time, but you need to make time for yourself and share how you are going to implement this with your family and friends.
Ask for help. Share your needs with your family, friends, and seek advice with your practitioner if you need assistance with implementing your plan.
When you begin spending LESS time overusing the sympathetic nervous system, you will begin to address the SD pattern and feel better! Your energy will increase and will be used to heal and restore your health.
We are all human and many, especially type A personalities, may retrace in and out of the SD pattern. Life can be hard and often when we experience difficulties circumstances, we fall back into “old” habits and slip back into the SD pattern.
Be kind to yourself and learn to check in on how you are responding so you can “choose” to handle these potholes and apply the suggestions above to address the stress you are experiencing.
If you have questions about the SD pattern, HTMA results, or the Mineral Balancing Program please contact me here:
holisticwellnessfromwithin@pm.me
Have a healthy and STRESS-FREE day.
I love you all!
Doreen
The entire contents of this website/article are based upon the opinions of Doreen McCafferty NLC, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Doreen McCafferty, NLC and her community. Doreen McCafferty encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your health care professional before using products based on this content. All information in this article is for educational purposes only and not designed to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.