The Nuts and Bolts of Arousal Regulation

In nature we can see and hear the ocean waves as they swell, crest, and crash, rushing forward and then receding backward. An experienced surfer rides the waves and gracefully balances while rising with the swell and crest, and then just as gracefully lands with the wave’s denouement. Similarly, we can see and hear trees as they sway back and forth with the wind, and we can feel the wind blowing us this way and that. A hang-glider rides the wind currents, gracefully balancing with and against the forces moving upward and downward. The ocean waves and blowing wind can be compared to arousal, a force of nature that rises and fades, that pushes us forward or holds us back, or that knocks us over and causes us to lose our balance. As with the surfer and the hang-glider, our ability to manage these forces gracefully and in a balanced manner can make the difference between pleasure and misery. Depending on our ability to regulate arousal, we either joyfully and effortlessly master the forces of arousal, or fl y out of control until we crash. Arousal refers to specifi c brain–mind–body states that are products of various systems and processes. The sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) infl uences emotions, produces vitality states, and generates action-readiness; it does so in tandem with the neuroendocrine system, in particular, the hypothalamic–pituitary– adrenal (HPA) axis, which churns out adrenaline. The parasympathetic branch infl uences emotions, produces relaxation states, and