Men's nervous systems are more reactive and focused.
Women's nervous systems are more responsive and social.
What this means in relationships:
When stressed or triggered, men's nervous systems are more reactive and focused. To reduce stress, they focus on fixing the issue as quickly as possible.
They also have less emotional engagement.
They also have less emotional engagement.
Women's nervous systems are more physiologically alert under stress. Women seek connection and conversation as a form of emotional attunement.
Venting or gossiping are relief behaviors from sympathetic activation.
Venting or gossiping are relief behaviors from sympathetic activation.
Men also have lower vagal tone (parasympathetic activity) than women. They struggle more to identify when their partners are feeling tense, and need direct communication or cues.
Women have a higher vagal tone. They're more sensitive to their partner's feelings of tension, and more responsive. They register more the environment at a faster pace.
Men tend to respond with solutions or practical steps. This can activate the nervous system of women who need listening, openness, and curiosity to put them into a parasympathetic state.
They can also see space or distance because their sympathetic spikes are stronger and more intense. This withdrawal can feel like rejection for women. And the desire to engage can feel like pressure for men.
It's important to understand these are biological differences that have evolved over thousand of years. They're autonomic and unconscious, which gives us an opportunity to be more empathetic and aware that they're not personal.
"Nervous system breaks" allow partners to give each other 15-20 minutes of space before coming back together to actually meet each other needs.
Do you agree? Share in the comments...
Do you agree? Share in the comments...
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