The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is the operating system of your body. It manages everything you don't have to think about: heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, temperature control, and immune function.
Two Branches, One Goal
The ANS has two primary modes:
- Sympathetic (Fight or Flight): Mobilizes energy. It increases heart rate and diverts blood to muscles.
- Parasympathetic (Rest and Digest): Conserves energy. It slows the heart and fuels recovery.
Health is not just having these systems; it is the ability to switch between them flexibly. Dysautonomia is when this switch gets stuck.