The autonomic nervous system

The autonomic nervous system is one of the two systems that the body uses for communication between organs. The second system – the hormone system (endocrine system), communicates, as the name suggests, via hormones, the The autonomic nervous system communicates via nerves. It is also referred to as the autonomic nervous system because it acts and reacts involuntarily, i.e. it is not subject to our will, but acts independently, quasi unconsciously for us and can hardly be consciously influenced by us.

The autonomic nervous system has an influence (innervates):

  • The smooth muscles of all organs and organ systems
  • The heart
  • The glands

It regulates vital functions such as:

  • Blood pressure
  • the heart rate (pulse)
  • Breathing
  • Body temperature

But also

  • Digestion
  • Reproduction
  • The metabolism and
  • Glandular secretion (secretion)

You could say that the autonomic nervous system internally regulates all organs and organ systems so that we are and remain responsive and, at best, can always adapt to changing external and internal circumstances and conditions – in other words, so that we can simply handle changes well.

In most cases, the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems react antagonistically – in other words, they have opposing effects. However, it is not really a case of “working against each other”, but more a case of “keeping each other in balance”. Just as the sympathetic nervous system ensures that our heart beats faster when we are startled, the parasympathetic nervous system ensures that it calms down again after a short time. A wonderful interplay.

The autonomic nervous system is virtually designed to ensure responsiveness and readiness, as well as to maintain a balance.

Unfortunately, chronic stress, for example, is capable of permanently upsetting the structure and balance. This results in a number of physical complaints, symptoms and illnesses that can range from A to Z and express themselves.

Of course, these are mainly symptoms caused by sympathetic overactivation – at that moment – due to stress.

And as you can already imagine, increased activation of the parasympathetic nervous system (relaxation) could of course lead to balance being restored.

The autonomic nervous system – more precisely the state of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems – is measured, for example, using heart rate variability measurement (HRV measurement for short). You can find out more about this in a separate blog article.

The following is a brief overview of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.

Test your autonomic nervous system with the help of the HRV test!

Would you like to test how stressed you are and how well your body can actually cope with stress at the moment?

With the help of the heart rate variability test (HRV test), we look together at how you are doing. We test how your body reacts to stress and whether your body is currently still able to regulate itself or whether it already has problems with regulation and is possibly just compensating.

This test also serves as a preventive examination for you – here we can see at an early stage whether something is going in the wrong direction!