This email is part of a multi-email series on how I helped my husband reconnect to himself, improving his physiology and psychology which had been battered by the energy we call PTSD and Hypervigilance.

This is my fourth email. My previous email was about my own Hypervigilance and how I am healing through, evolving and retraining a new pattern of being. You can read the others here.

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Reader - I like to describe my experience with Hypervigilance as both a dynamic and persistent behaviour.

As a highly protective “response” (dynamic) and a wired, alert “state of mind”(persistent), it provided me with a metaphorically 360-degree view.

I could see, perceive, and was so tuned into the whispers of Stew’s and our kids’ well-being.

So while Hypervigilance can be considered “bad” it actually served a purpose.

Both Stew and I acknowledge how my high-alert state of mind could respond to his whispers and avoid some pretty dire scenarios from unfolding.

Said another way, this wired alert way was effective when it was needed.

Yet, at the same time, it took up immense emotional, mental and physiological resources.

So when it was clear that Stew was much better - when he was psychologically and physiologically more steady - I knew I didn’t need it in the same way.

But here is the thing . . . (and I am sure you may nod your head in resonance) . . .

Hypervigilance had become a honed and grooved pattern over the course of years.

A trusted companion that was ingrained into a psycho-neuro-muscular-physiological way of being.

So even though I could feel its depleting nature and I had a strong desire to heal it, the mere consideration of moving toward a new state of mind gave me plenty of pause.

“What will I do without it?”

As I sat with that thought it became clear that I needed more tools, a sense of inner safety, and more “hand holding” along the way.

It was also clear that this was going to take time . . . the antidote would not be a quick fix like a long weekend away or even a multi-day vacation.

This was a real psycho-physiological-neuromuscular habit . . . and to facilitate a change, I need Willingness to Experiment, Love and Connection.

So with all of those layers, and with all of my thoughts about it, I decided to turn to another trusty companion . . .

My Garmin watch.

Curiously, as if some divine hand had played a part, my old watch from 2018 broke.

When I got my new watch, it had more robust sleep metrics, heart rate variability, and other energy metrics.

And so I began with a gentle frame of mind, holding my own hand.

I started to monitor my heart rate variability (it was unbalanced), the quality of my sleep (my REM was in need of improvement), and how I was using my energy throughout the day.

I began to make some changes with my morning and evening routines, how I integrated my yoga, breath and Nidra practices, when I went to bed, how I organized my working day, and how I managed those sometimes incessant 15-30 minute household tasks.

This may seem like a lot Reader, but it wasn’t really. I allowed myself to hold the tech metrics loosely and just experiment with changes.

And not surprisingly . . . as my energy management, heart rate variability and my sleep metrics improved, I noticed the first change.

There was more clarity, less wired alertness, and much less fatigue at the end of the day.

Progress!

If you have read this far, thank you. This was a long one.

I will continue with Part 2 in the next email where I'll highlight how core stability has played a pivotal role in a calmer, clearer mind.

I hope this has been helpful.

If you think someone would benefit from this, please pass it along.

Best,
Susi

PS. I am leading a mini immersion of body scan, breathing, and therapeutic yoga the first week of September. 4 hours over 4 days. If you want to connect to you, to yourself, and train some new habitual patterns, I’d love for you to join me. Early bird is on until August 27th. You can register here​

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