Lifestyle Strategies for a Healthy Autonomic Nervous System

Presenter: Jalyn Allison Miller

Faculty Sponsor: Reena Randhir

School: Springfield Technical Community College

Research Area: Biology

Session: Poster Session 2, 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM, Auditorium, A28

ABSTRACT

The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) plays a very important role in maintaining homeostasis. If the sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system are impaired, functions such as responding to danger (fight-or-flight) and calming down (rest-and-digest) can be disrupted, which may hinder day-to-day routine activities. Maintaining a healthy ANS is important because imbalance within this system disrupts autonomic balance and interferes with the body’s ability to regulate normal physiological responses. The objective of this research was to determine the factors that damage the ANS and suggest protective measures. A systematic literature review was done in PubMed to study lifestyle factors that influence ANS function and the effectiveness of behavioral approaches for improving regulation. Results show that the best ways to protect the ANS include different variations of exercise such as yoga, mild weight lifting, and breathing exercises. Breathing based eastern practices (e.g., yoga or tai chi) are commonly used to support autonomic regulation. Additionally, stress reduction strategies like meditation and exercise may also help. Combining these approaches appears to support more stable autonomic regulation. In conclusion, it is very important to maintain autonomic balance and homeostasis. Taking deep breaths, reducing stress, getting sufficient sleep and adding exercise to daily life can help the ANS function more effectively to maintain homeostasis. These findings show the importance of consistent lifestyle choices in supporting long-term autonomic health.

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