Mind Body Connection
Learning Intention
Background Info
Student Activities
- Our mind and body is connected to each other,
- Our mind and body both impact our wellbeing,
- What we eat impacts our wellbeing,
- How much we sleep impacts our wellbeing,
- How active we are impacts our wellbeing,
- Our body has multiple nervous systems that transport messages from our brain to the rest of our body,
- Our bodies have a fight, flight, freeze response to fear to keep us safe,
- Our bodies feel best and are at their healthiest when our nervous systems are balanced.
- There are a range of strategies we can use to balance our nervous system
Intuitively we know that if we eat well, sleep enough and exercise, we feel better and function better day to day. Research supports our intuitions, see the information section for eating, sleeping and moving, for a brief snapshot of key messages from research.
Our nervous system is made up of the Central Nervous System (CNS), which includes the brain and the spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system (PNS), which is involved in both voluntary movement and involuntary movement. Involuntary action involves the sympathetic nervous system connected to the Fight, Flight, Freeze response. Involuntary action also involves the parasympathetic nervous system which is connected to the feed and breed, rest and digest activity in our body. All the parts of our Nervous System have important roles in our survival.
Our body is highly responsive to our emotions. When we are stressed our heart rate goes up, we may sweat, our pupils may dilate?
The mind is connected to the body by the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.
The somatic nervous system controls voluntary movement. What are some examples of the somatic nervous system in action? Discuss with a friend.
The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for rest, digest and repair functions.
