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Chronic Sympathetic Dominance

Meaning

Chronic Sympathetic Dominance is a persistent, maladaptive state characterized by the sustained overactivity of the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS), the body’s “fight-or-flight” branch, relative to the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS). This clinical imbalance is a hallmark of chronic allostatic load, leading to the continuous, excessive secretion of stress hormones, primarily catecholamines and cortisol. This state of perpetual physiological alert profoundly impairs systemic recovery, metabolic efficiency, and long-term hormonal equilibrium.