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Autonomic Nervous System Shifting

Meaning

Autonomic Nervous System Shifting describes the dynamic, moment-to-moment physiological transition in the dominance between the sympathetic (mobilizing) and the parasympathetic (restorative) branches of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). This shifting represents the body’s essential ability to rapidly rebalance its internal regulatory state in response to perceived internal or external demands and stressors. Effective, fluid shifting is crucial for maintaining allostatic balance, allowing the system to efficiently mobilize energy for acute stress and then reliably return to a state of repair and conservation. A loss of this flexibility is a hallmark of chronic stress and dysregulation.