Polyvagal Theory: Part III

Hello Readers! This week will be the last week we talk about polyvagal theory. Though there is a lot more to this theory, these blog entries are only to introduce you to the basics. This post is to dive into the connections created when working through the polyvagal theory, most specifically connections within ourselves and the world around us.

Co-regulation

One of the biggest components of polyvagal theory is co-regulation and the fact that it is a biological necessity for the human body to have access to. It breaks down into simpler terms, if the human body does not have access to co-regulation it is impossible to survive. With that being said, having only some access to co-regulation versus an immense amount of access can impact the wellbeing of someone.

So, what does co-regulation do for us? Simple, without co-regulation we have more difficulty with regulating our feelings and emotions, we may experience low self-esteem, and ultimately have a hard time creating and keeping lasting relationships. Though you may find that you have given up the active search for people to connect with, your nervous system never stops looking for, waiting for and longing for that connection.

“Co-regulation is essential; first for survival and then for living a life of well-being.” (Dana, 2021) Without co-regulation studies have shown that we are lonely and that puts us at a higher risk for cancer, heart disease as well as psychological discomfort. This means our immune functions are impacted causing higher levels of inflammation leading to disease, and causing ongoing anxiety and depression leading to psychological discomfort.

How am I able to co-regulate? What does that even mean..

The idea of connection seems simple enough, right? But how do you actively try to incorporate this on a daily basis? We are lucky enough that when the ventral vagal system was added to our biological makeup, there were five circuits that were created in connection with the brainstem known as the human social engagement system, This is a pathway to the heart, along with the nerves of our eyes, ears, voice and how we move our head, leading to the creation of a system that is truly a face-heart connection.

• Signals from the eyes: There is a muscle around each of our eyes called the orbicular oculi. The purpose of this muscle is to open and close the eyelid, which inevitably leads to “crow’s feet”. Though most people find these to be a negative asset, they actually tell the story of our autonomic history. The upper third of the face is where our autonomic nervous system will look first to determine if someone is a friend or foe (Dana, 2021).

• Sounds of safety and danger: When we feel safe and regulated we are actually tuning into a certain frequency of the human voice and listening for those sounds of friendship, and when we feel anxious or uneasy we are looking for sounds of predators in order to find a way to get ourselves to safety. In essence, low-frequency sounds typically cause a flight or collapse response in us, whereas high-frequency sounds grab our attention so we can find what is wrong. We also pay attention to inflection and rhythm of someone’s voice. For example, through our tone and the rise and fall of our voice when we speak we are actually transmitting our underlying intentions (Dana, 2021).

• Messages from head movements: The final area to pay attention to is head movement and the way we tilt and turn our heads. There is a natural movement to the head and a slight turn and tilt can lead to signs/feelings of safety. Whereas, if you are not moving your head in a natural way and are stiff and straight or unmoving it would no longer send signs of safety (Dana, 2021). The movements of the head can also be paired with other forms of body language to determine feelings of safety.

Ultimately, when we are anchored in ventral safety and regulation, we are open for connection. When we start to lose that anchor, we also lose the ability to connect. By paying attention to these simple characteristics we are able to learn more about how we connect within ourselves, people around us, and the world itself.

As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out!