The autonomic nervous system

The autonomic nervous system is the network that regulates the body's involuntary functions. Processes such as heartbeat, breathing, and level of arousal are governed by this system without our being aware of it. A large part of somatic work concerns this system, because stress and safety responses are regulated here. The autonomic nervous system is made of two main arms: the sympathetic, which prepares for action, and the parasympathetic, which provides rest. The balance of this system directly affects how a person feels.