Fight or Digest? Is it the best to be always relaxed? About autonomic nervous system

When we talk about the autonomic nervous system, we relate to the automatic responses our body and nervous system perform to react to the situations we are in, some reactions are for example speed of the heart rate, digestion, respiratory rate or pupillary response.

There are two branches of the nervous system: ‘fight or flight’ and ‘rest and digest’. We want and need both sides of the autonomic nervous system in healthy balance, alternating constantly according to the rhythms of our days.

We need our ‘Fight or flight’ (sympathetic nervous system) to keep us motivated, to get food and to work through the day and this is also the system which would kick in when you have to run away from a chasing tiger. When we are in this state our heart rate is up, blood is pumped into the muscles and lungs at much higher speed and also the digestion shuts down. That is why very often when you are stressed and ready to ‘fight’ you wouldn’t feel hungry or eating could even make you sick.

In ‘rest and digest’ state (parasympathetic response) there is an increased blood flow to the stomach, blood is circulating at a normal rate throughout the body and brain and the heart rate is slowed down. This is the state when we sleep or we are after a meal, when we want to stay relaxed, so the food can be processed properly. You probably know not to swim straight after a meal, it is better to have a small rest and digest break beforehand, and this is exactly what the parasympathetic nervous system is for.

When you go through your daily activities you move from ‘fight or flight’ to ‘rest and digest’ without much realization. Both systems are needed for our survival and well-being. Both systems need balance – we cannot fight the whole day and we cannot sleep the whole day because extremes will not allow our survival.

Both nervous systems function in balance in one another. However, sometimes we can get out of balance – for example being under constant stress leads to the overload of the sympathetic nervous system. One solution to change between the nervous systems is breathing

but another thing is being aware of which state you are currently in – the more awareness you have on what your body is doing the higher probability you will listen to your body.

Analyse this week's activities and list 5 activities that you were doing and categorize them - which nervous system was responsible for these activities. Example – Siesta napping – rest & digest parasympathetic response.