Fibers called nerves carry vital messages forwards and backwards between your body and your brain. This network – your nervous system – consists of two parts:
- Your brain and spinal cord make up your central nervous system.
- The nerves in the remainder of your body make up your peripheral nervous system.
Everything your body does is connected in some approach to your nervous system. It tells your heart to beat. It tells your lungs to breathe. It controls how you progress, what words you say, and the way you think that and learn. It also controls your senses and memories.
The messages that travel through your nerves are sent by billions of nerve cells called neurons. The spaces between these cells are called synapses. The cells are connected by chemicals called neurotransmitters, which travel across the synapses to the following neuron. Dopamine and serotonin are neurotransmitters.
This process continues until the message arrives at the fitting place. Some messages travel at over 320 km/h.
This can also be how messages out of your body travel back to your brain and spinal cord. For example, if you step on a pointy object, the nerves in your foot send a message from neuron to neuron to your central nervous system saying: Hey, that hurtsYour brain and spinal cord respond with a message to your foot: Withdraw now.
Your nervous system is well protected. Your brain is protected by your skull, and your spinal cord is shielded by small bones in your spine (vertebrae) and thin coverings (membranes). Both are cushioned by a transparent fluid called cerebrospinal fluid.
However, your nervous system can develop problems just like several other a part of your body. When it is broken by a disorder, it affects the communication between your brain, spinal cord and body. Examples of those disorders include:
- Infections corresponding to meningitis, encephalitis or polio
- Physical problems corresponding to injury, facial paralysis or carpal tunnel syndrome
- Diseases corresponding to Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis or Alzheimer’s
- Problems along with your blood vessels, corresponding to strokes, transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), or subdural hematomas (when blood collects outside your brain, typically after a serious head injury)
Just like other parts of your body, your brain needs sleep to rest and regenerate. A superb, regular sleep schedule is subsequently crucial. A healthy, balanced food regimen with foods wealthy in omega-3 fatty acids can also be vital. These include fatty fish corresponding to salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel, herring and farmed trout.
Stress may affect your nervous system. However, there are a couple of things you’ll be able to do to administer it:
- Do sports recurrently
- Treat yourself to a break
- Spend precious time with family and friends
- Meditate or practice mindfulness with yoga or other activities
- Limit alcohol consumption
- If you smoke, stop
- Control your blood pressure and levels of cholesterol