You know the nervous system is complicated but do you appreciate how truly complicated it is?

The aim of this episode of the Pain Free Living podcast is to provide you with a clear, jargon-free introduction to the nervous system and how it can affect your pain levels and overall health whether you are an athlete, work in an office, or are an older adult.

The nervous system is complex and is responsible for coordinating your body’s 11 systems, including cardiovascular, digestive, skeletal, and respiratory functions.

It consists of the Central Nervous System (CNS), which is the brain and spinal cord, and the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS), which includes the somatic and autonomic systems.

The somatic nervous system (SNS) manages your muscles and sensory receptors in the skin, while your autonomic nervous system (ANS) controls vital functions like heartbeat, digestion, and stress responses.

The ANS consists of the sympathetic (SNS), parasympathetic (PNS), and enteric nervous systems (ENS) over which you have no direct control - see, I told you it was complicated!

Your SNS is the one that controls your response to stress by preparing you to either fight, flee, or freeze. Dominance of the SNS increases stress hormones like cortisol, and can contribute to problems like insomnia, digestive issues, chronic inflammation, and a weakened immune system. It can also increase your sensitivity to pain.

Your PNS & ENS work in opposition to your SNS and are responsible for your rest, digest, and repair responses, lowering your heart rate, reducing pain, improving sleep, and enhancing your rate of recovery from illness and other problems.

Takeaways:

The nervous system is a complex network that regulates many bodily functions essential for maintaining good health.

• The sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for stress, and can lead to various health issues if it's too dominant.
• Activating the parasympathetic nervous system through relaxation techniques can help manage stress-related health problems.
• Stress increases your pain sensitivity, which is why managing stress is vital for pain management.
• Carrying out activities that boost relaxation in turn increases the function of the parasympathetic nervous system and improves health.

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