physiology - Concepts

Explore concepts tagged with "physiology"

Total concepts: 16

Concepts

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.
Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia - The natural variation in heart rate that speeds up with inhalation and slows with exhalation, reflecting vagal activity.
Ultradian Rhythm - Natural 90-120 minute cycles of activity and rest that shape energy, focus, and recovery across the day.
Autonomic Flexibility - The capacity of the nervous system to shift smoothly between sympathetic arousal and parasympathetic recovery as context demands.
Rest and Digest - The everyday name for the parasympathetic state in which the body restores, repairs, and processes food.
Parasympathetic Activation - Engaging the rest-and-digest branch of the nervous system to counteract stress and promote recovery.
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.
Vagal Tone - The activity level of the vagus nerve - a key indicator of stress resilience and emotional regulation capacity.
Acute Stress - Short-term stress response to immediate challenges or threats that resolves when the situation passes.
Polyvagal Theory - Stephen Porges' theory of a three-part nervous system hierarchy: social engagement, fight/flight, and freeze.
Heart Rate Variability - The variation in time between heartbeats - a key indicator of stress resilience and nervous system health.
Allostasis - The process by which the body actively maintains stability through change, predicting and adjusting to demands.
Relaxation Response - Herbert Benson's term for the physiological opposite of the stress response - deliberate activation of calm.
Parasympathetic Recovery - The physiological restoration process driven by the parasympathetic nervous system after sympathetic activation.
Social Engagement System - The ventral vagal circuit that supports safety, connection, and co-regulation in the presence of other people.

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