Autonomic Nervous System
The Autonomic Nervous System lays the foundation for almost all things breathing, so it’s good to know what it is, and how it works.
What does it do?
The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is the branch of our nervous system that controls automated or involuntary bodily functions; such as heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, immune function, and of course- breathing.
The ANS is split into two opposing, branches, known as the Sympathetic, and the Parasympathetic.
Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)
A.K.A. the ‘fight, flight, or freeze’ branch of the nervous system.
Though that moniker is a bit of an simplification, it is a good indicator of what the SNS does. It stimulates us, giving us energy and drive. In threatening or stressful situations, the SNS is what gives kicks us a much-needed kick into action.
Within the blink of an eye, the SNS triggers a whole cascade of chnages throughout the body. Heart rate increases, blood vessels constrict, sress hormones like adrenaline are released, blood is redirected to the muscles from less vital organs (e.g. digestive system), and breathing speeds up.
These chnages lead to heightened energy, alertness, and readiness for action.
Sounds like a superpower!
But in physiology, this is simply what we call STRESS
This stress response is simply and adaptive mechanism, and a powerful tool. This would have been the driving force for our ancestors to find food, procreate, and deal with threats. Without it, we wouldn’t be here today.
Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS)
On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have the ‘rest and digest’ branch of the nervous system.
As the name suggests, this branch of the nervous system is much more calming and restful. When PNS activity is high, heart rate slows down, blood vessels dilate, the digestive system is primed, we get a flood of happy hormones like serotonin and oxytocin, and breathing slows down.
All in all, we enter a more relaxed state, to help us sleep, digest our food, and bond socially (we are social animals after all).
What does that mean for your body?
our body flows between both branches all day, trying maintain a state of balance (homeostasis) throughout the body.
Unfortunately, life gets in the way, and most people are totally out of balance. Particularly, with an overactive SNS - in other words Chronic Stress.
This imbalance is one of the largest underlying factors for chronic health conditions, increasing the risk of autoimmunity, heart disease, anxiety, depression etc.
Where does breathing tie in to all this?
So, you may remember that your nervous system controls our breathing. But what’s interesting, is that this relationship is bi-directional. So by controlling your breathing, you can hack your nervous system, and take charge of your body and mind
As I like to say:
The breath is the key that unlocks your Autonomic Nervous System
The dynamic link between the breath and the nervous system is beautifully complex.
Now that you’ve laid the foundation, check out some of my other articles e.g. Left or Right? or Slow… down…
Are you ready to take control of your nervous system?