What is autonomic nervous system balance?
The autonomic nervous system comprises sympathetic and parasympathetic branches. The sympathetic branch is associated with activation of bodily systems and the parasympathetic branch is associated with deactivation of bodily systems. Autonomous actions include governance of heartbeat rate, arterial constriction, dilation of lung bronchi, digestion, etc. Under ideal circumstances, sympathetic and parasympathetic branches work in harmony to achieve and maintain balance. Cardiopulmonary resonance is an indication of autonomic balance. 4. Why is autonomic balance important? Generally, autonomic balance is associated with “calm” and “relaxation” whereas “imbalance” is associated with “stress” and “fight or flight”. The emerging medical understanding is that many modern day maladies are rooted in autonomic imbalance, specifically sympathetic dominance, i.e., chronic over-activation of bodily systems. Sympathetic dominance results in illness, reduced quality of life, and reduced longevity. 5.
