Vegetative nervous system
Function and Regulation
The vegetative nervous system, also known as the autonomic nervous system, cannot be voluntarily controlled
It regulates all vital functions, such as breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, energy production, digestion and metabolism. The vegetative nervous system is made up of the sympathetic ("tense nerves") and the parasympathetic ("relaxed nerves") nervous system. Both these systems work contrary to one another.
Example: if a person is confronted with a dangerous situation, thus triggering the instinct to run, the sympathetic system (tense nerves), clearly becomes much more active than the parasympathetic system (relaxed nerves). The following reactions are observed in the body:
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The heart will pump faster
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Increase of oxygen supply
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Attention and concentration are heightened
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The body and the mind are in a state of alert
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Pupils are dilated
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Blood pressure escalates
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Stress hormones, such as adrenaline are released
Under such conditions, the body can perform at much higher level.
Once this stressful situation has passed the parasympathetic system (relaxed nerves) will be more activate over the sympathetic system (tense nerves). Functions such as recovery, regenerationand repair take precedence. This example of regulation clearly shows the basic functioning of the vegetative nervous system. Increasing age, excessive stress, chronic illnesses or a weakened immune system impair the body's ability to regulate the nervous system.
Regulation of the autonomic nervous system based on internal and external stimuli is one of the body's fundamental characteristics. The human organism regulates all vital functions by independently adjusting from a tense to a relaxed state.
