If you’ve ever felt ANXIOUS in a yoga class, polyvagal theory has a great explanation.

Think of the nervous system like rungs on a ladder.

We start on the ground, and when we experience stress, we climb up a rung on the ladder, entering the fight-or-flight response.

If the stress persists, we can’t escape, or it overwhelms us; we climb up another rung, and move into the FREEZE response.

When we’re in freeze, we feel numb, dissociated and disconnected.

Our body is here, but mentally we’ve checked out. The lights are on, but nobody is home.

We use MENTAL ESCAPE to deal with our stress.

The thing about the Freeze response is that it’s numbing, so it feels calmer compared to the activation of the fight-or-flight response.

Now, when someone in freeze attends a Yoga class and their nervous system begins to feel safe, they will go down the ladder into fight or flight before returning to a neutral state.

We can’t skip fight or flight.

We have to take that step before we return to neutral.

And this is where we can FEEL WORSE.

Fight or flight is tricky and uncomfortable because it comes with a surge of activation energy that wants to move.

Our heart rate increases, our muscles tense, our thoughts start racing, and we may feel sick in the stomach.

Whereas when we’re in freeze, we feel passive, docile and numb.

That’s why we can sometimes feel WORSE in a Yoga class because our nervous system is finally feeling safe enough to step down a rung into fight-or-flight territory.

And, this is why our Vinyasa-style Yoga classes are so beneficial for nervous system healing.

The rhythmic and repetitive movement in time with our breath helps to mobilise and discharge the fight-or-flight energy, allowing us to return to the ground.

People often think that Yin Yoga is best for calming the nervous system, but Yin is most effective when we have mild (rather than chronic or traumatic) stress.

If your nervous system is in fight/flight/freeze mode, it’s far better to move that energy through the body.

Rhythmic, repetitive movement, synchronised to breath, creates the conditions for the nervous system to travel safely back down the ladder.

Want to know more about nervous system healing? Check out this podcast episode that explains polyvagal theory in more detail.

Our Yoga classes are much more than a stretch.

They’re designed to calm the nervous system.

If your nervous system needs some love, then now is the time to come back to Yoga.

2 classes a week for $44 – cancel or pause anytime. Unused classes accumulate and can be used later.

Unlimited Yoga classes $49 a week – cancel or pause anytime, save 20% on workshops.

And if you want to go deep into your mental and emotional patterns, check out Energy Alchemy.

Keep calm,