8: How Stretching Transforms Your Brain and Nervous System

In this episode, you'll learn how to build a flexibility practice to improve your nervous system health, enhance your emotional regulation, and reduce stress. Dr. Nirvani Umadat shares practical tools and tips to integrate stretching and yoga into your daily routine.

Timestamps:

[00:00] Intro

[03:00] Learn how stretching impacts your nervous system

[05:15] What are proprioceptors?

[05:30] What is the role of proprioceptors in body awareness?

[07:00] Explore the connection between intuition and flexibility training

[09:05] Discover the importance of brain and body harmony

[11:08] Learn how flexibility training reduces stress and anxiety

[12:16] Find out how yoga improves self-awareness

[14:03] Understand the foundational principles of yoga

[16:24] Discover how stretching enhances nervous system flow

[19:30] Learn why flexibility training requires patience

[22:24] Understand how stretching regulates the autonomic nervous system

[24:39] Improve vagal tone for better stress resilience

[28:14] Discover the benefits of 30-minute daily flexibility practice

[30:04] Compare muscle memory in weight and flexibility training

[33:09] Overcome frustration in early flexibility training

[36:12] Recommended tools for developing a stretching practice

[38:35] Use yoga blocks to support flexibility training

[41:41] The connection between your mind, body, and spirit

Resources Mentioned:

Making Sense of Interoception by Harvard Medicine | Article

The Emerging Science of Interoception by Chen W, et. al. | Article

Yoga as an Alternative and Complementary Approach for Stress Management by Manoj Sharma | Article

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Sri Swami Satchidananda | Book or Audiobook

The Science of Flexibility by Michael Alter | Book

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Find more from Dr. Nirvani Umadat on her Website and her YouTube Channel.