Your Nervous System: The Hidden Superhighway Running Your Life

anupachiropractor
4 days ago
5 min read

If you’ve ever wondered how your body knows what to do — how you move, heal, breathe, and even feel — it all comes back to one powerful thing: your nervous system.

It’s the control centre and communication network that keeps your entire body connected. Every second, billions of tiny electrical messages travel through it, helping you adapt to your environment, respond to stress, and maintain balance.

At Handcrafted Chiropractic, we focus on helping your nervous system work at its best — because when it’s functioning well, everything else tends to follow.

Anatomical diagram of a neuron, detailing components such as the dendrites, soma, nucleus, axon, myelin sheath, and axon terminals. The synapse is shown in an inset, highlighting key elements like synaptic vesicles and neurotransmitters.

So, What Exactly Is the Nervous System?

Think of your nervous system as your body’s master communication line. It’s made up of two main parts:

The Central Nervous System (CNS) – your brain and spinal cord, which process information and make decisions.
The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) – all the nerves that branch out from your spine to the rest of your body, carrying messages to and from the brain.

Together, these systems form the backbone (pun intended) of how you function.

Your brain and spinal cord send signals through your nerves to control muscles, organs, and glands — while those same nerves send messages back about what’s happening in your body.

Whether you’re breathing, digesting food, or catching yourself from falling, your nervous system makes it happen.

Diagram illustrating the human nervous system, highlighting the contrasting actions of the parasympathetic and sympathetic branches. This visual shows how each branch affects various body functions, such as pupil dilation, heart rate, and digestion.

How It Works — The Three Steps of Communication

Your nervous system has three main jobs:

Receive information – from your senses, muscles, and organs.
Process it – your brain and spinal cord decide what needs to happen next.
Respond – nerves send instructions back out, telling your body how to move or react.

For example: if you accidentally touch a hot pan, your hand pulls away before you even feel the burn. That’s your spinal cord working lightning-fast to protect you.

Every part of your health — from how your muscles contract to how your heart beats — depends on this constant back-and-forth communication.

The Two Sides of Your Autonomic System

You might have heard of “fight or flight” and “rest and digest.” These are the two main modes your body shifts between automatically through what’s called the autonomic nervous system.

The Sympathetic System (Fight or Flight): This kicks in when you’re under pressure. Your heart rate speeds up, muscles tighten, and your body gets ready for action.
The Parasympathetic System (Rest and Digest): This is your recovery mode — the calmer state that allows digestion, healing, and repair.

Both are necessary, but many people spend far too much time stuck in “fight or flight.” Over time, this can lead to tight muscles, tension headaches, poor sleep, or digestive issues.

At Handcrafted Chiropractic, part of what we do is help your body reset that balance — guiding it back toward a calmer, more restorative state.

Diagram illustrating the divisions of the nervous system, highlighting the central and peripheral systems, with further subdivisions into autonomic and somatic components, including pathways for sympathetic, parasympathetic, sensory input, and motor output functions.

Why the Spine Matters So Much

Your spinal cord runs through the centre of your spine — protected by 33 movable bones called vertebrae. Between each one, nerves branch out to every part of your body: muscles, organs, skin, everything.

If a spinal joint isn’t moving properly (something we call a vertebral subluxation), it can change how those nerves send and receive information. That can lead to tension, restricted movement, or even changes in how certain systems function.

When we adjust the spine, the goal isn’t just to “crack” a joint — it’s to restore clear communication through the nervous system. That’s what allows your body to self-correct, regulate, and heal naturally.

What Science Says About the Nervous System

Research continues to uncover how closely the nervous system is linked to every other part of health:

Neuroplasticity – Your brain and spinal cord can reorganize and adapt based on what you do, think, or feel. Movement, breathwork, and manual care all influence this adaptability.
Autonomic balance – Studies show chronic stress or poor posture can disrupt the balance between “fight or flight” and “rest and digest,” affecting sleep, digestion, and mood.
Sensory-motor integration – Healthy spinal movement improves the way your brain interprets signals from your body, helping with balance, coordination, and pain perception.

Your spine and nervous system don’t work separately — they’re two parts of one living, adaptive network.

What You Might Notice When Your Nervous System Is Out of Balance

When communication through the nervous system isn’t clear, you might experience things like:

Recurring neck or back pain
Headaches or dizziness
Fatigue or poor concentration
Muscle tension or weakness
Digestive changes
Feeling “stuck” in stress mode — difficulty relaxing or sleeping

These are signs your body may be struggling to adapt. The good news? The nervous system is incredibly capable of recovery and regulation once given the right input.

How Chiropractic Care Supports Nervous System Health

Chiropractic adjustments help remove interference and improve spinal mobility — allowing clearer nerve communication between your brain and body.

After an adjustment, many people describe feeling lighter, calmer, or more connected to their body. Others notice deeper sleep, improved focus, or reduced pain and stiffness.

This isn’t magic — it’s physiology. When nerve signals flow freely, your body can finally do what it was built to do: heal, regulate, and thrive.

Everyday Tips to Support Your Nervous System

Here are simple ways to keep your nervous system healthy between visits:

Move often: Gentle stretching, walking, or yoga helps maintain healthy nerve input.
Breathe deeply: Slow, steady breathing activates your calming (parasympathetic) response.
Sleep well: This is when your brain and body repair and re-balance.
Eat whole foods: Nutrients like magnesium, omega-3s, Vitamin D, and B-vitamins support nerve health.
Manage stress: Try mindfulness, time outdoors, or simply switching off devices before bed.

Small, consistent habits go a long way in helping your nervous system stay balanced.

In Summary

Your nervous system is the thread connecting everything — body, mind, and energy. It’s how your body senses, responds, and adapts.

When your spine moves well, when your breath is calm, and when your body feels supported — your nervous system thrives. That’s when you start to notice more than just less pain — you feel more you.