When working in harmony with the sympathetic mode, the parasympathetic mode helps us stay within an ideal window of activity (also called the window of tolerance). ADHDers and Autistic people tend to have reduced vagal tone, meaning it is more difficult for us to activate our relaxation response and recover from the stress response. Our ability to activate the relaxation response and down-regulate our body is directly connected to our vagal tone. When our body is in the parasympathetic nervous system, it experiences the following: Parasympathetic engagement promotes healthier digestion, repairs body cells, and fosters sleep. When in the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system, we can slow down, calm the body, rest, relax, and sleep. The parasympathetic nervous system (the brake pedal) slows down specific responses within the body and helps the body get into a state of calmness. We then have excessive energy with limited outlets to release it. However, it's not so helpful when sitting in a classroom, and our fight-or-flight response gets tripped. These physical responses are helpful and lifesaving on the rare occasion we are out in the woods and run into a dangerous animal. Pupils dilate so that we can take in more informationīlood diverts from our digestive tract to our muscles Other physical responses to the fight or flight process include. These hormones are designed to give us the energy to fight off the threat. When our sympathetic nervous system kicks into gear, several things happen: we get a big shot of adrenal/epinephrine, and our stress hormone, cortisol, increases. When we experience a threat, our bodies may become sympathetic dominant, commonly referred to as the "fight-or-flight" response. When the nervous system is healthy, these two systems work in harmony to bring balance to the body. Think of the sympathetic mode as the gas pedal and the parasympathetic mode as the brake pedal. These two systems control the same organs however, they work in opposite directions. The parasympathetic nervous system calms our bodies and aids the "rest and digest" process. This system is what activates our "fight-or-flight" response. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for arousing and mobilizing our body for action. The Parasympathetic Nervous System ("Rest-and-Digest") The Sympathetic Nervous System ("Fight-or-Flight") The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is responsible for moderating our bodies' response to external and internal stressors. Let’s talk about the different parts of the nervous system responsible for stress and relaxation: The Autonomic Nervous System It’s helpful to understand what’s actually going on in the body. This month, I'll be creating more content unpacking the neurodivergent nervous system.įor today, I am providing an overview of the Autonomic Nervous System and its role in responding to stress. Scroll to the bottom for strategies to learn practices that help to retune and reset the nervous system. If you purchase through these links, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you.įor many neurodivergent people, a nervous system reset is necessary sometimes to self-regulate the body. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
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