How to Use parasympathetic nervous system in a Sentence

parasympathetic nervous system

noun
  • The vagus nerve is part of the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps the body rest and relax.
    — Aria Bendix, NBC News, 3 Nov. 2023
  • When the body can fully relax, the parasympathetic nervous system turns on.
    — Cory Martin, Verywell Health, 16 Oct. 2024
  • Two of these chakras are located in the head and controlled by the parasympathetic nervous system.
    — Tony Sanchez, Time, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Just four rounds of box breathing can activate your parasympathetic nervous system and calm your mind.
    — David O'Hara, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2023
  • The body also goes into flight or flight mode, meaning that the parasympathetic nervous system takes over in the build up to jumping.
    — Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 7 May 2023
  • This can help with relaxation by turning on your parasympathetic nervous system.
    — Alexa Tucker, Women's Health, 26 May 2023
  • But one step on Canyon Ranch soil will send your parasympathetic nervous system into overdrive.
    — Jennifer Fernandez, Town & Country, 5 Nov. 2019
  • The vagus nerve’s job is to regulate your parasympathetic nervous system.
    — Anne R. Crecelius, The Conversation, 20 June 2019
  • When your body is in fight or flight, ice touching the back of your neck stimulates the vagus nerve and parasympathetic nervous system all the way down the body and up to the brain.
    — Caitlin Pagán, Verywell Health, 3 Dec. 2024
  • At night, the parasympathetic nervous system helps the body rest, digest, and recuperate.
    — Jennifer Leman, Popular Mechanics, 28 Mar. 2022
  • Even a few minutes of slow deep breathing is enough to get the parasympathetic nervous system going, though doing it for longer may elicit greater effects.
    — Patrick Wilson, Outside Online, 21 Aug. 2020
  • The extra weight and pressure on the body helps trigger your parasympathetic nervous system, which lowers your heart rate and sort of switches your fight-or-flight response off.
    — Rachel Feltman, Popular Science, 15 Dec. 2020
  • The vagus nerve is the core nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system that governs all rest and recovery activities of the entire body.
    — Anna Haines, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
  • Optical flow has been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system (or rest and digest mode) and improve creative thought.
    — Hannah Coates, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2023
  • As a result, this type of exercise can help regulate the parasympathetic nervous system to induce a state of relaxation and calm.
    — Bryant Richardson, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
  • Nearly anyone can safely practice this at any time to activate the rest-and-restore parasympathetic nervous system.
    — Tree Meinch, Discover Magazine, 30 Aug. 2021
  • What my parasympathetic nervous system objects to is the sudden snake, the sudden spider, the sudden bat, and the sudden Dave.
    — Murr Brewster, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Jan. 2023
  • Osteocalcin, in turn, tamps down activity in the parasympathetic nervous system–nerve fibers that slow heart rate and breathing.
    — Emily Underwood, Science | AAAS, 12 Sep. 2019
  • This activates the parasympathetic nervous system, a network of nerves that play a critical role in relaxing the body before sleep.
    — Dani Blum, New York Times, 1 July 2025
  • Mindfulness puts the brakes on your fight-or-flight or stress response and activates your parasympathetic nervous system (or your rest-and-digest response).
    — Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2025
  • Deep breathing engages the parasympathetic nervous system, resulting in a lower heart rate and feelings of calmness.
    — Cathy Cassata, Health, 7 June 2024
  • Deep breathing exercises help activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which tells your body to rest and digest.
    — Carley Millhone, Health, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Gua sha also addresses the parasympathetic nervous system and can help with anxiety, stress, pain, and depression.
    — Prue Lewington, Harper's BAZAAR, 23 May 2019
  • This simple reset activates your parasympathetic nervous system and creates space for clear thinking.
    — Sahar Andrade, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Try taking a deep exhale, which can stimulate your body's relaxation response through the parasympathetic nervous system.
    — Stefanie Groner, Glamour, 2 Dec. 2020
  • Try taking a deep exhale, which can stimulate your body's relaxation response through the parasympathetic nervous system.
    — Stefanie Groner, Glamour, 4 Feb. 2026
  • The nerves that control the salivary glands are part of the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS).
    — Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 10 Sep. 2024
  • The parasympathetic nervous system is activated when a danger is over, such as being pulled out of harm’s way from ongoing traffic while crossing the street.
    — Womensmedia, Forbes, 15 Apr. 2021
  • This new kind of urban oasis is meant to have its own effect—triggering the parasympathetic nervous system to help the body to relax, digest, and heal, says Berzin.
    — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 30 Jan. 2019
  • Helping to shift focus away from what’s in front of us kickstarts the parasympathetic nervous system, which encourages everything to slow down and our bodies to move out of panic mode.
    — Georgia Day, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2023

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'parasympathetic nervous system.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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