Chronic overload of the sympathetic nervous system is a common experience for many of us. Think about it: How many times have you run out the door in the morning without eating? Or how often have you found yourself stuck in rush hour traffic or knee-deep in work that can't possibly be done on time? All of these factors create chronic sympathetic overload, which then lowers your immunity. Unfortunately, there is no way to get away from all of these significant sources of stress. What we can do, however, is control the way we respond to stress.

When we are under mental and emotional stress, a sequence of events occurs that determines how we respond physiologically:

• First, we perceive the event.
  
• Second, we respond to that event positively or negatively.
  
• Third, we internalize the event positively or negatively.

This last reaction, internalization, is the key problem area. If we respond negatively to an event, we may internalize the experience negatively. Ultimately, this negative internalization can damage our nervous and hormone systems, which can then lead to illness or disease. Imagine, for example, that you are driving on the freeway and are suddenly forced off the road by a car that swerves into your lane. You barely miss being in a major accident. Typically, you may have one of two responses:

• You may feel anger towards the driver who put your life in
  danger. You may then internalize the event negatively, and
  be upset and angry for the rest of the day.
  
• Or, you may feel relief that you didn't get hit and that no one
  was injured. You may suspect the other driver simply
  didn't see your car or perhaps was forced to turn to avoid
  an obstacle on the roadway.

It's easy to see which example would have a potentially negative effect on your health. Remaining angry for a whole day doesn't hurt anyone except you. This perception and internalization of the event can cause a long-lasting, negative physiological reaction of compromised immunity, which can lead to illness and disease.

Conversely, the healthier, psychological response carries with it fewer long-term physiological effects. The event itself will cause a stress response involving adrenaline and cortisol. A scare like this also will put your sympathetic nervous system into a fight-or-flight response. But these responses should last only a few seconds or minutes if we don't internalize the event negatively. Eventually, the body will reset and normalize.

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Another stress on the sympathetic nervous system is concept shifting, or multitasking. Concept shifting occurs when we have to change our focus or shift our attention too frequently. Forcing the brain to constantly shift from one subject to another not only causes stress but also results in a negative impact on your hormone and immune systems.

Many of us experience concept shifting daily-for example, when we try to complete a complicated task while making or answering phone calls. In fact, our educational system is based on concept shifting: Throughout a school day, students constantly shift their focus, studying math during one period and history the next, so on and so forth, to a point of diminished returns in the learning process. It's a good thing to be able to think on your feet, but not to a point of collapse!

To minimize this stress, try to organize your schedule so that concept shifting is kept to a minimum. Another alternative is to adopt behaviors that improve cortisol levels and reverse sympathetic overload. This includes performing exercise and relaxation techniques, such as diaphragmatic breathing, gentle stretching, yoga, t'ai chi, meditation, biofeedback, and prayer. Of course, keeping your blood sugar stable by eating right helps too! A positive mental attitude is paramount to optimum health.

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