The conversation around the vagus nerve and its importance has become increasingly frequent in recent years. The vagus nerve is the largest cranial nerve in the body and is a key part of your autonomic nervous system, specifically the parasympathetic “rest and digest” nervous system. It influences your breathing, digestive function, heart rate and fight or flight response, all of which can significantly impact physical and mental health.
This program will be led by the Crosby Wellness Center’s Joy Henderson, a seasoned fitness professional who holds certifications in yoga, Pilates, spin and sports medicine training. This program will be split into two sections: in part 1, Henderson will lead an in-depth discussion on this important aspect of your wellbeing; in part 2, she’ll provide instructional examples via yoga modalities to help you learn how to better regulate the inter-related systemic mind-body mechanisms, specifically the vagus nerve’s role in contributing to improved body-mind awareness, physical and mental regulation and decreased reactivity to stressful stimuli. All yoga poses will be practiced on a chair.
Special Instructions: Everyone is welcome to attend and participate in this program; no prior yoga experience required. Attendees are encouraged to bring a notepad and pen or pencil for taking notes and their own bottles of water.
This program is presented by Joy Henderson and hosted by the Winter Park Health Foundation.
About the Program Presenter
Joy Henderson is a seasoned fitness professional who holds certifications in yoga, pilates, Spin and sports medicine training. She also holds an M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and an M.Ed. Joy’s areas of expertise are somatic awareness and a whole wellness approach. She has a specific passion working with a person’s with chronic illness and aging. Joy’s whole wellness approach begins with self and body awareness in order to regulate and navigate physical and mental discomfort thus promoting quality and quantity of life. Her unique and empirically based approach has helped many persons feel healthier and more fulfilled.
Crush Your Next Workout at the Crosby Wellness Center The fitness floor at Crosby Wellness Center, the fitness facility inside CHWB, is home to more than 30 fitness machines designed to help you crush your workout for any exercise – leg, arm, back, chest, core, and more. While starting these machines may be intimidating, we…
Packing the Perfect Gym Bag Packing a gym bag doesn’t need to be a stressful experience. Whether you’re getting your sweat session in early before work, during your lunch hour, after work, or even late at night, we have the perfect guide to help athletes of all fitness levels pack a gym bag. What’s…
Maintaining a fitness routine during the summer can be a challenge. It’s easy to get distracted during the summer months when our routines are sporadic, kids are out of school and our priorities change. Between the summer pool parties and vacations that lead to less time for fitness to the hot weather making it more…
