In this episode, we discussed:

• The Autonomic Nervous System: The key differences between the stress response (sympathetic nervous system) vs. the relaxation response (parasympathetic nervous system)
• The HPA Axis: Understanding our stress response system and how it can become imbalanced.
• Diurnal Cortisol: Why tracking cortisol levels throughout the day provides valuable insights into stress.
• Stress & Dysautonomia: Having dysautonomia makes it more difficult to shift between sympathetic and parasympathetic states.
• Hidden Stressors: Briefly touched on often-overlooked sources of stress: hormones, immune system, digestion, detoxification, energy production, and the nervous system.

Key Takeaways:

• A dysfunctional HPA axis significantly impacts our stress response.
• Diurnal cortisol testing offers a deeper understanding of stress than single-point measurements.
• Stress and dysautonomia have a complex, reinforcing relationship.
• Recognizing hidden stressors is vital for managing overall well-being and dysautonomia symptoms.

Next Time On The Podcast: In the future we will dive deeper into conditions like ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome) and Dysautonomia (dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system)

Connect With Us: @functionalflowwellness and functionalflowwellness.com

Thank you for listening!