Unlocking Your Nervous System's Potential: The Benefits of Interval Training and Breathwork for Healing
Last week, I teased the incredible benefits of interval training for recovering autonomic nervous system (ANS) function following a traumatic brain injury (TBI). What if I told you that you can hack your recovery process to be even more effective? Let’s dive deeper into how the combination of interval training and breathwork can lead to remarkable healing. Here’s what we’re looking at today:
Effective Recovery Techniques: Interval training and breathwork together offer a powerful, practical approach to improve autonomic nervous system (ANS) function, particularly after brain injury, but also beneficial for anyone facing stress or seeking resilience.
Targeted Benefits for ANS: Interval training actively stimulates the "fight or flight" sympathetic nervous system (SNS), while breathwork promotes "rest and digest" through the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), creating a balanced ANS response and supporting nervous system regulation.
Positive Feedback Loop: Consistent practice improves both physical and emotional resilience, creating a cycle that enhances mental clarity, reduces anxiety, and supports better stress management.
Here’s How You Do It: A sample routine includes warm-up exercises, alternating intervals of high-intensity movement and rest, followed by breathwork exercises to aid relaxation, with a final cool-down to complete the practice.
Course Preview: A digital course is on the way, offering additional insights and methods for nervous system regulation based on experience and research.
This isn’t just pertinent to those with brain injuries, the benefits of interval training and breathwork extend to anyone seeking to improve their autonomic nervous system function. Are you feeling anxious and don’t know why? Keep reading. Do you want to be more resilient? Keep reading. Do you feel disconnected? Keep reading. These techniques can help you manage everyday stress, reduce anxiety, enhance focus, and promote better sleep, ultimately leading to improved overall well-being and resilience in the face of daily challenges.
The Role of the Autonomic Nervous System
The autonomic nervous system regulates involuntary physiological functions, including heart rate, blood pressure, and digestion. It consists of two main branches: the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which prepares the body for "fight or flight," and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), which promotes "rest and digest." Following a traumatic brain injury, the balance between these systems can become disrupted, leading to symptoms like anxiety, headaches, and sleep disturbances—commonly referred to as post-concussion syndrome (PPCS).
Interval Training: Controlled Stimulation
Interval training, which involves alternating periods of high-intensity exercise with rest, provides a unique way to engage the SNS in a controlled manner. This stimulates the body, promoting cardiovascular health and encouraging the release of neurotrophic factors, such as Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which is crucial for neuroplasticity and recovery post-TBI.
Breathwork: A Calming Ally
Various forms of breathwork, such as diaphragmatic breathing, alternate nostril breathing, and paced breathing, have been shown to regulate the ANS effectively. These techniques activate the PNS, fostering a sense of calm and well-being. By consciously controlling our breath, we can signal to our body that it is safe to relax, which is particularly beneficial for individuals dealing with the anxiety and cognitive fog often associated with PPCS.
The magic happens when we stack breathwork with interval training. Following an interval training session with breathwork helps to balance the body's neurological response to stressors. The rest periods after the high-intensity intervals allow the PNS to kick in, facilitating relaxation and recovery. This intentional integration helps to bring order to the ANS, promoting a more adaptive physiological state.
Creating a Positive Feedback Loop
The synergy of interval training and breathwork creates a positive feedback loop. Physically, improved cardiovascular health enhances oxygen delivery to the brain, which is vital for recovery. Mentally, as physical strength builds, so does confidence and emotional resilience. This dual improvement helps combat the emotional and cognitive challenges that often accompany PPCS—such as depression, anxiety, and difficulties with concentration and memory.
As I navigated my recovery journey, the benefits of this approach became undeniable. I found that integrating interval training and breathwork not only improved my physical health but also fostered emotional regulation. It transformed my experience from merely surviving to thriving.
A Practical Example: Combining Interval Training and Breathwork
Cool! But what does this mean practically speaking? To illustrate how you can effectively integrate interval training and breathwork into your routine, here’s a simple yet effective session you can try. This is just one approach that can be tailored to your fitness level and needs.
Warm-Up (5-10 minutes):
Start with gentle movements like dynamic stretches or light jogging to prepare your body for exercise. This helps increase blood flow and gradually elevates your heart rate.
Interval Training (20 minutes):
Choose a cardio exercise that you enjoy—this could be running, cycling, or even jumping rope.
Perform 30 seconds of high-intensity effort: Push yourself to about 80-90% of your maximum effort.
Follow with 90 seconds of active recovery: Slow down to a comfortable pace, allowing your heart rate to decrease.
Repeat the cycle for a total of 5-8 intervals. Adjust the intensity and duration based on your fitness level.
Breathwork (10 minutes):
After completing your intervals, find a comfortable seated position. Begin with diaphragmatic breathing to promote relaxation.
Inhale deeply through your nose for a count of four, allowing your belly to rise.
Hold the breath for a count of four.
Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of six, letting your belly fall.
Repeat this cycle for several minutes, gradually extending the length of your exhale. You can also incorporate alternate nostril breathing or paced breathing techniques if you're familiar with them.
Cool Down (5-10 minutes):
Finish with gentle stretches to relax your muscles and return your heart rate to baseline.
This combined approach not only optimizes physical performance but also engages your nervous system in a way that promotes balance and recovery. By consistently practicing this routine, you can enhance your resilience to stress and foster a greater sense of calm in your daily life. I mix it up often, for example, you may try four rounds of 10-15 minutes of interval training followed by 3 minutes of breathwork.
The point is clear: combining interval training with breathwork is one of the most powerful tools I've discovered for managing PPCS symptoms, and honestly, life. The resulting improvements in physical health and neurological recovery, paired with psychological benefits, create a robust framework for sustained recovery and resiliency.
As I embraced this holistic approach, I felt a profound sense of regaining control over my body and mind, ultimately returning to daily activities with greater resilience and confidence. If you’re grappling with the lingering effects of a brain injury, consider exploring this powerful combination as part of your healing journey. Your body—and mind—will thank you.
Looking for more? Stay tuned for an official announcement
Drop your email in the box at the bottom of the page and be the first to access the latest offering coming to the site. In this digital course, I share my insights and methods, drawn from both personal experience and extensive research, to help you navigate your path to a regulated nervous system. You’ll learn how to implement these practices in your daily life, fostering a sense of calm, clarity, and resilience.
In our fast-paced world, stress can feel inescapable, often lodging itself in the body and impacting the nervous system. Whether triggered by trauma, health challenges, or daily pressures, a dysregulated nervous system can make it difficult to feel safe and grounded.
My personal journey into working with the nervous system began after a traumatic brain injury that left me for years in a constant state of autonomic nervous system dysregulation. I was barely surviving, feeling disconnected from myself and the world around me. I had no choice but to confront my reality head-on and search for healing. I researched and implemented practices that would gradually restore my body’s natural rhythm and balance, transforming my life into one oriented toward growth.
This wasn't an overnight change. It took time, patience, and a willingness to embrace being quite uncomfortable. But through this journey, I learned how to move from a place of mere survival to a state of thriving. I still face challenges—even I slack off when things are “good.” In fact, I created this course after having ignored signals from my body for months, thinking I was stronger than the stress in my environment, and revisiting the survival state. The tools I've gathered along the way have empowered me to navigate life with a newfound resilience, including now, as I reconnect to myself and life again, dedicating my focus to what is laid out in this course to heal.
I use the term "balancing" in the title of this course to highlight the dynamic nature of life; what feels balanced today may shift tomorrow. Implementing nervous system regulation tools into our daily lives is crucial, even when we feel stable. Regular practice fortifies resilience, preparing us for unforeseen challenges and fostering well-being.
This course aims to help you understand and work with your own nervous system, fostering a life that feels connected, present, and stable. By honoring where you are and embracing gradual progress, you can uncover pathways to a more balanced, resilient state—supportive of your whole being. Join me on this journey, and together we can navigate the transition from surviving to truly thriving.