How Your Nervous System Controls Metabolism: Fight or Flight vs Rest & Digest

📢 Dr. Bikman’s Community & Coaching Site, Insulin IQ: https://insuliniq.com 📢 Become an Insider, Ben’s website: https://www.benbikman.com In this foundational Metabolic Classroom lecture, Dr. Ben Bikman unpacks the vital role of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in maintaining health and metabolic balance. The ANS, a part of the peripheral nervous system, regulates involuntary processes such as heart rate, digestion, respiratory rate, and blood pressure—largely without conscious control. It's divided into two branches: the sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) systems. Dr. Bikman first explains how the sympathetic system is designed to mobilize energy quickly through hormones like epinephrine. While short-term activation (like during exercise or danger) is beneficial, prolonged sympathetic activity—known as sympathetic overdrive—can lead to insulin resistance, mitochondrial stress, oxidative damage, and fat accumulation in organs like the liver and muscle. Conversely, the parasympathetic system, largely driven by the vagus nerve, supports digestion, insulin release, recovery, and metabolic regulation. He emphasizes the importance of heart rate variability (HRV) as a measure of balance between these systems and overall metabolic health. Practical strategies to promote parasympathetic tone and restore ANS balance include breath work (like the 4-7-8 technique), exercise, cold therapy, avoiding late-night glucose spikes, and creating a strong wind-down routine before bed. The message is clear: managing stress and supporting ANS flexibility is crucial for metabolic health and long-term disease prevention. Show Notes/References: For complete show notes and references, we invite you to become an Insider subscriber. You’ll enjoy real-time, livestream Metabolic Classroom access which includes live Q&A with Ben after the lecture, ad-free podcast episodes, show notes and references, and online, live Office Hours access with Dr Bikman. It also includes Ben’s Research Review Podcast, and a searchable archive that includes all Metabolic Classroom episodes and Research Reviews. Learn more: https://www.benbikman.com IMPORTANT NOTE: The information presented is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Dr. Bikman is not a clinician—and, he is not your doctor. Always seek the advice of your own qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions. Ben’s favorite health check-up for men: https://blokes.co/drben15 (discount: DRBEN15) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.