Our body's "Auto Pilot" system: Let's learn about the Autonomic Nervous System in simple terms!

Have you ever wondered how your heart beats without stopping even when you are in a deep sleep, how you breathe without even realizing it? You don't have to think about these things, do you? They happen automatically, like on auto pilot. That's how we are going to talk about the amazing, supercomputer-like system in our body that controls all the essential functions of our body. That is the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) .

Simply put, what is the autonomic nervous system?

To understand this, let's first take a look at our entire nervous system. Our nervous system is like the structure of a large company.

1. Central Nervous System: This consists of only our brain and spinal cord. All decisions in the body are made and all messages are controlled from here.

2. Peripheral Nervous System: This includes all the nerves throughout the body except the brain and spinal cord. This is the network that carries messages from the head office to all the other parts of the body and returns messages from there.

Now this branch network, that is, the Peripheral Nervous System, is also divided into two parts.

• The part that controls what we do with our thoughts (Somatic Nervous System): If you want to raise your hand, if you want to walk, if you want to talk... that means that everything you do, under your control, as you want, is controlled by this part.
• Autonomic Nervous System: Here comes our protagonist. This is the autonomic nervous system we're talking about today. It controls the essential functions of life, such as your heartbeat, breathing, digestion, and sweating, which are beyond your control.

There are three main parts to this Auto Pilot system!

This autonomic nervous system is also divided into three sub-systems. Like the accelerator and brake of a car, these two work in opposition to each other to keep the body in balance.

Imagine that you are walking down the street and suddenly a dog attacks you. Your heart beats faster, your breathing quickens, your eyes widen, you sweat, and you get ready to run. That's when your sympathetic system prepares you to face the emergency.

Now imagine, after the danger has passed, you come home, have a good meal, and are at ease. At that time, your heart rate returns to normal, your breathing becomes normal, and your digestion begins. That's how the Parasympathetic system calms the body down and brings it back to normal.

The balance between these two is very important in our lives.

What things in our body are controlled by this system?

You'll be amazed at the list of things it controls. In fact, it controls almost every major organ in our body, including our automatic functions.

What diseases affect this system?

This damage to the autonomic nervous system is called autonomic neuropathy . There are several factors that can cause this.

• Diabetes (Type 2 Diabetes): If diabetes is not controlled for a long time, these nerves can be damaged. Orthostatic hypotension, which is a common symptom, is fainting when standing up suddenly.
• Autoimmune conditions: Diseases in which the body's own immune system attacks these nerves. An example is Guillain-Barré syndrome.
• Infections: These nerves can be damaged by viruses like HIV and bacterial infections like Lyme disease.
• Deposition of abnormal proteins: In diseases such as amyloidosis, proteins that accumulate in the body can damage nerves.
• Vitamin deficiencies: Deficiencies in vitamins, especially vitamin B12, can cause nerve damage.
• Toxins: Heavy metals such as mercury and lead, pesticides, and excessive alcohol use can cause nerve damage.
• Trauma: Trauma, especially to the back and spinal cord, can damage this nervous system.
• Tumors: Some types of cancer and non-cancerous tumors can also interfere with the functioning of this system.

Symptoms that suggest a problem

When there is a problem with this system, the symptoms that appear will vary depending on where the damage occurs. But here are some common symptoms.

• Suddenly feeling dizzy and lightheaded while standing.
• Heart rate abnormalities (arrhythmias).
• Difficulty swallowing food (dysphagia).
• Delayed digestion, stomach fullness (gastroparesis).
• Constipation or sometimes diarrhea.
• Difficulty controlling urine or stool (incontinence).
• Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) or lack of sweating (anhidrosis).
• Problems such as sexual dysfunction.
• Difficulty tolerating hot weather.

How do we protect this valuable system?

The best thing you can do is to prevent damage to this autonomic nervous system. There are a few simple things you can do to do that.

• Eat a balanced diet: Eating foods rich in vitamin B, in particular, is very important for nerve health.
• Avoid drug and alcohol abuse: These are things that directly damage the nerves.
• Maintain a healthy weight and exercise: This can reduce the risk of diseases like diabetes, which is a major cause of damage to this nervous system.
• Manage chronic diseases properly: If you have diseases like diabetes or high blood pressure, follow your doctor's instructions exactly. Take your medications properly. This can minimize damage to these nerves.
• Stay safe: Wear the necessary safety equipment at work, while playing sports, and while driving. It is very important to prevent injuries to the back and spinal cord from accidents.