The Nervous System Flashcards
What does the Nervous System do?
Reacts to external stimuli, and adjusts the body’s processes accordingly by sending messages along neural pathways
What are the two branches of the Nervous System?
Peripheral Nervous System
Central Nervous System
What is the Central Nervous System comprised of?
The brain and spinal cord
What is the Peripheral Nervous System comprised of?
Sensory division
Motor division
- Somatic Nervous System
- Autonomic Nervous System
Puts brain in touch with external stimuli
What is the Autonomic Nervous System comprised of?
Sympathetic Nervous System
Parasympathetic Nervous System
What Nervous System do inversions innervate?
Parasympathetic
What Nervous System do standing postures innervate?
Sympathetic
What Nervous System do balancing postures innervate?
Parasympathetic
What Nervous System do back bends innervate?
Sympathetic
What Nervous System do forward folds innervate?
Parasympathetic
What Nervous System do twists innervate?
Standing - Sympathetic Seated and Supine - Parasympathetic
What is a Sympathetic Nervous System response?
Flight or Fight
What is a Parasympathetic Nervous System response?
Rest and Digest
What Nervous System does Ujjayi innervate?
Parasympathetic
What Nervous System does Full Yoga Breath innervate?
Parasympathetic
What Nervous System does Nadi Shodhana innervate?
Parasympathetic
What Nervous System does Kapalabhati innervate?
Sympathetic
What physiological responses occur when the Sympathetic Nervous System is innervated?
Acceleration of heart and lung action
Inhibition of stomach and intestinal action
Constriction of blood vessels in many parts of the body
Liberation of nutrients for muscular action
Dilation of blood vessels for muscles Inhibition of tear glands and salivation
Dilation of pupil
Relaxation of bladder Inhibition of erection
What physiological responses occur when the Parasympathetic Nervous System is innervated?
Slowing down of the heartbeat Lowering of blood pressure Constriction of the pupils Increased blood flow to the skin and viscera Peristalsis of the GI tract
Why do we want a healthy nervous system?
A healthy nervous system allows us to stay calm in stressful situations
Why is yoga important?
- Practice of yoga calms as well as stimulates the nervous system through asana, pranayama and meditation
- Keep class present
- Use asana and link the mind and body
- Philosophy and alignment cues are really important to pull people into class
Autonomic nervous system?
- Regulates certain body processes e.g. breathing, that work without conscious effort to control homeostasis
- Makes decisions for us. Makes quicker decision.
Somatic nervous system
- making conscious decision in your brain.
- Choose to do it. Then act on it with a motor response.
- Nerves that connect the brain and spinal cord with muscles and sensory receptors in the skin. Some responses are reflexes and happen without conscious decision
How breathing effects the autonomic nervous system
- Breathe helps regulate the involuntary response
- Abnormal breathing can overstimulate the sympathetic system
- Regulated breathing can moderate the intensity of a pose or situation.
- Breathing is the tool we use in yoga and outside of yoga.
- Slowing our breath down, facilitating, controlling our breath
- If we can teach our students how to move with breath as the most important. If they can channel the breath to the movement, they will find the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic
