We all know about the importance of balance in life. Each of us might achieve balance using different means, but the ultimate goal is to feel at peace with ourselves.
Did you know that you can intentionally activate your parasympathetic nervous system to reduce the sense of anxiety and stress you feel?
Let's rewind ⇦ and start from the beginning:
The nervous system is a complex network of nerves and cells that coordinate our actions and sensory information by transmitting signals to and from different parts of the body.
There are the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system.
The central nervous system primarily consists of the brain and the spinal cord. Both are protected by a bone structure. Our brain weighs about 3 lbs and uses 25% of the calories we spend!
The peripheral nervous system is made up of the autonomic and the somatic nervous systems. The somatic nervous system controls voluntary muscle movements as well as reflexes. The autonomic nervous system on the other hand regulates involuntary physiological processes.
The autonomic nervous system has three parts—bear with me, this is where things get exciting!
- The sympathetic nervous system
- The parasympathetic nervous system
- The enteric nervous system—a complex network of nerve fibers that innervate the organs within the abdomen like the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, gall bladder, etc. It contains nearly 100 million nerves.
I gave all these definitions to be able to better explain the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems.
The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) kicks into action when we sense danger or stress. This is the ‘fight or flight’ response. It's a survival mechanism.
- SNS → adrenal gland is activated → faster breathing to bring in more oxygen → faster heartbeat to increase blood flow to the muscles → enlarged pupils to see the enemy better. Digestion slows down → mouth dries up → no need to pee anymore → ready to fight or run
The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) works when we are not in danger. It’s the ‘rest & digest’ state. It’s the default state, where we go about our daily life.
- PNS → calmer breathing → slower heartbeat → blood flow to internal organs → digestion works better, our body heals, we build strength.
THE LONGER YOU'RE IN PNS, THE BETTER!
This is where balance comes into the picture:
What we need is a balance between the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems. External factors causing chronic stress can throw off the balance. Since we can’t always run away from stressful situations, we need to get used to making a conscious effort to balance our systems 😉
Stay healthy and stay happy!