10: How Rest and Digest Affects Your Pet’s Behavior
Remember when we talked about fight, flight, freeze, and fawn? Well, now we are talking about the flip side of that which is rest and digest.
In the last episode, we talked about your sympathetic nervous system, and in this episode, we’re getting into your parasympathetic nervous system. These two balance each other out in a way!
It’s easier to pinpoint a stressful event that resulted in a stress response, but it gets a bit vaguer when we start looking at what activates our parasympathetic nervous system. This all comes down to a perceived sense of safety and an absence of stressors which is what rest and digest start with.
Think about it this way: when your brain tells you that you are safe, you can use that time to refuel, eat food, digest food, eliminate waste, and rest so that you are ready to mobilize in the event of stress.
Understanding this is key to understanding when and where to work on your pet’s behavior which is why I am breaking it all down in this episode.
What We Cover in Today’s Episode
The difference between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems
How your body decides when to rest and digest
Why we need perceived safety to rest and digest
How your nervous systems communicate with your body
What changes in your body prepare you to recharge
How this applies to changing your pet’s behavior
Why it’s important for you and your pet to be relaxed
How to calm yourself down so you can work more effectively with your pet
Hopefully, this helps you to understand how important rest and digest are in changing your pet’s behavior. Being aware of this will allow you to create the best environment to work in with your pet.
If you are ready to change your pet’s behavior, join the Better Behavior in 90 Days coaching program at www.stephaniebeeson.com/betterbehavior90days to get the behavior you want from your pet and receive the support you need along the way.
Resources Mentioned
www.stephaniebeeson.com/betterbehavior90days
Karen Overall's Protocol For Relaxation
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