Your autonomic nervous system (ANS) is the part of your central nervous system (CNS) that controls unconscious activities like breathing and digestion. This system is always working, whether or not ...

When a person is at rest, meditating or reading a book, the parasympathetic nervous system is at work. Also known as the "rest and digest" system, the parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for ...

The sympathetic nervous system, which helps your heart and other vital organs function all the time, increases activity in response to danger or stress, preparing the body for extra demands. Stress is ...

The vagus nerve, the longest nerve in the body, originates in the brainstem and extends down into the abdomen. It monitors and receives information about the functioning of the heart, lungs, and other ...

The autonomic nervous system innervates all body organs, including the cardiovascular system. Smooth muscle in arteries, arterioles, and veins and pericytes in capillaries receive autonomic ...

Your autonomic nervous system helps regulate emotional balance, but chronic stress or trauma can trigger an overactive fight-or-flight response. Nervous system dysregulation refers to a condition in ...