The Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous System from a Yoga Perspective
Our nervous system is an incredible network that controls how we respond to the world around us. Two key parts of this system, the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches, work together to maintain balance in our bodies. Yoga offers a unique way to influence these systems and create harmony between action and rest.
Understanding the Two Branches
Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)
The sympathetic system is often called the “fight or flight” response. It prepares the body for action by increasing heart rate, quickening breath, and sending blood to the muscles. While this system is essential for dealing with challenges, it can become overactive due to modern stress, leaving the body in a near-constant state of alertness.
Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS)
The parasympathetic system is known as the “rest and digest” response. It slows the heart rate, deepens the breath, and stimulates digestion and recovery. This is where the body repairs and heals. The PNS is activated through calm breathing, mindful movement, and relaxation.
Yoga’s Role in Balancing the Nervous System
Yoga is more than physical postures. Breathwork, meditation, and mindful movement help us shift from an overactive sympathetic state into the parasympathetic state. Different styles of yoga can emphasize one branch over the other, helping us restore balance.
Yoga Styles that Support the Parasympathetic Nervous System
Yin Yoga: Long-held poses that work into the fascia and connective tissues while calming the mind. Example poses: Supported Butterfly, Reclined Twist, Caterpillar Pose.
Restorative Yoga: Fully supported poses with props that allow the body to relax deeply. Example poses: Supported Child’s Pose, Legs Up the Wall, Reclined Bound Angle Pose.
Gentle Hatha Yoga: Slow, mindful movements with attention to the breath. Example poses: Cat-Cow, Supine Spinal Twist, Seated Forward Fold.
These practices encourage deep diaphragmatic breathing and stillness, which stimulate the vagus nerve and activate the PNS.
Yoga Styles that Engage the Sympathetic Nervous System
Vinyasa Flow: Continuous, breath-linked movement that builds heat. Example sequences: Sun Salutations, Warrior Flows.
Power Yoga: Strong, challenging poses that build strength and endurance. Example poses: Chair Pose, Plank, High Lunge.
Ashtanga Yoga: Structured sequences performed at a steady pace, generating focus and energy.
These practices stimulate the SNS, increasing alertness and stamina. When balanced with cooling postures, they can help build resilience to stress.
Creating Balance in Your Practice
To maintain a healthy nervous system, it is important to blend energizing and calming styles of yoga. A strong morning vinyasa class can be balanced with restorative or yin yoga in the evening. Within a single practice, you might start with more dynamic movement to engage the sympathetic system, then transition into slow, supported poses to activate the parasympathetic system before savasana.
Final Thoughts
Yoga provides the tools to move between activity and rest with ease. By understanding the roles of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, we can make intentional choices in our practice. The goal is not to eliminate the “fight or flight” response, but to create the skill of shifting into “rest and digest” whenever we need it. Through mindful breath, asana, and meditation, yoga teaches us to meet life with both vitality and ease.
