Every other Friday, the Outside/In team answers one listener question about the natural world. This week, Monica in West Hartford, CT asked, “We’ve all heard the phrase, ‘take a deep breath,’ and ...

The sympathetic nervous system, which helps your heart and other vital organs function all the time, increases activity in response to danger or stress, preparing the body for extra demands. Stress is ...

Each part of the nervous system uses internal checks and balances to regulate its activity, responding to various factors like mood, health status, and the external environment.¹ These regulatory ...