Back to basics
During a challenging event, our system responds by either numbing our emotions and distancing our personal self from our professional self to get through or by revving up our systems to be get through what is happening. Sometimes our systems come back down to our baseline of their own. Sometimes they need some help.
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After a challenging experience, emotional, and/or cognitive fatigue can be felt for a few days. When emotions are high, we take in memories through our visual and sensory systems. The goal of this step is to help your system re-set itself.
Resetting your system
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Calm: Breathe, imagine a calming image, or listen to music. Our tools can help
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Soothe: Repetitive movement, such as walking, rocking, colouring, even washing dishes, helps reset our system
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Rest: Watching TV, listening to music, sitting or walking in nature can help. It releases BDNF, which balances what cortisol (stress) does to the body.
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Then: When you can, do something you love
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If you would like to learn more about coping and self care over the next 4 to 6 weeks, go to the Coping and Self Care Step
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Things to keep in mind
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Hydration, eating, and sleeping helps
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Blocking rest helps. It doesn’t have to be long, but we do need to protect it. Put away technology for a little while. Technology increases a part of dopamine, which keeps our system engaged. Emails and texts coming through also keeps us in a reactive state. We want to shift to a rest state so that the system can re-boot. Try for 10 minutes without getting on the phone or iPad.
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Other strategies that can help bring us down:
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Relaxation – breathe, imagine a calming image, or listen to music
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