Experts Highlight Body’s Role in Trauma Recovery, Emphasise “Rest, Digest” Response
Experts Highlight Body’s Role in Trauma Recovery, Emphasise “Rest, Digest” Response
Experts Highlight Body’s Role in Trauma Recovery, Emphasise “Rest, Digest” Response
Mental health experts are drawing attention to the growing body of research showing that trauma is not only processed through thoughts and memories, but also stored and experienced within the body.
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According to findings referenced by researchers at Harvard Medical School, traumatic experiences activate the body’s fight-or-flight response, controlled by the sympathetic nervous system. This biological reaction keeps the body in a state of alertness, tension, and defense, even long after a threatening event has passed.
Scientists explain that while individuals may intellectually understand what happened to them, the body can continue to react as if danger is still present. This prolonged state of hyper-alertness may affect heart rate, muscle tension, sleep patterns, digestion, and overall emotional wellbeing.
Studies focusing on the vagus nerve — a major component of the nervous system — indicate that healing often begins when the body shifts into parasympathetic activation, commonly known as the “rest and digest” state. This system slows the heart rate, relaxes muscles, supports digestion, and signals safety to the brain.
Renowned neuroscientist Dr. Stephen Porges, through his Polyvagal Theory, explains how the vagus nerve plays a critical role in regulating emotional safety and social connection. According to the theory, a sense of safety is foundational to emotional regulation and recovery from stress.
Experts note that practical techniques such as slow, controlled breathing, grounding exercises, gentle physical movement, and positive social interactions can help activate the parasympathetic system. These practices support the body’s transition from survival mode to a state of calm and restoration.
Health professionals emphasise that true trauma recovery often begins not only when the mind understands the experience, but when the body feels safe enough to release its defensive state.
Experts Highlight Body’s Role in Trauma Recovery, Emphasise “Rest, Digest” Response
