physiology - Concepts

Explore concepts tagged with "physiology"

Total concepts: 9

Concepts

Vagal Tone - The activity level of the vagus nerve - a key indicator of stress resilience and emotional regulation capacity.
Relaxation Response - Herbert Benson's term for the physiological opposite of the stress response - deliberate activation of calm.
Allostatic Load - The cumulative wear and tear on the body from chronic stress and repeated adaptation.
Chronic Stress - Prolonged activation of the stress response without adequate recovery, causing cumulative damage.
Fight-or-Flight Response - The body's automatic physiological reaction to perceived threats that prepares for confrontation or escape through hormonal and nervous system activation.
Parasympathetic Activation - Engaging the rest-and-digest branch of the nervous system to counteract stress and promote recovery.
Heart Rate Variability - The variation in time between heartbeats - a key indicator of stress resilience and nervous system health.
Polyvagal Theory - Stephen Porges' theory of a three-part nervous system hierarchy: social engagement, fight/flight, and freeze.
Acute Stress - Short-term stress response to immediate challenges or threats that resolves when the situation passes.