sympathetic/parasympathetic

We know that nerves tell muscles to move bones. But that is just a physical component of the nervous system. There is also an emotional side to the system as well. It is constantly working to maintain harmony in the realm of fear worry and safety. The Fear response plays a large role in our movement and postural capabilities. The main action of this response is flexion, so we return always to the psoas, the body’s main hip flexor. Any time we are involved with the sympathetic nervous system, the psoas will be involved, which is a fine thing as long as the journey into fear is balanced by an engagement of the parasympathetic system.

Here’s an example of a healthy interaction of the sympathetic (excitation)/parasympathetic (relaxation) systems. On a hot summers day you walk outside and your internal body temperature begins to rise. Your sympathetic nervous system notes this changes and instructs your sweat glands to go to work. As you begin to sweat the internal temperature begins to cool. As soon as it reaches the desired temperature the parasympathetic gets involved you stop sweating. This happy interplay is constantly going on in your body.

What concerns us is when something creates an imbalance between these two systems. This imbalance can register emotionally, posturally, energetically- but it will always involve the psoas. And such an imbalance, when it becomes chronic can lead to us getting stuck in the sympathetic system.