parasympathetic nervous system

noun

: the part of the autonomic nervous system that contains chiefly cholinergic fibers, that tends to induce secretion, to increase the tone and contractility of smooth muscle, and to slow heart rate, and that consists of a cranial and a sacral part compare sympathetic nervous system

Examples of parasympathetic nervous system in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Deep, slow belly breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system to counteract stress signs such as an elevated heart rate and a burst of adrenaline. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 6 Nov. 2024

Some research suggests that deep breathing impacts the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the rest-and-digest response—resulting in health benefits like stress management, better sleep, and more.1 1. —Michael Menna, Verywell Health, 4 Nov. 2024

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

When the body can fully relax, the parasympathetic nervous system turns on. —Cory Martin, Verywell Health, 16 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1934, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

parasympathetic nervous system

noun

: the part of the autonomic nervous system that is concerned with controlling the body during normal routine situations and that tends to cause secretion of the digestive and salivary glands and slow the heart rate and that acts on bodily organs by releasing acetylcholine at the ends of nerve fibers supplying them compare sympathetic nervous system

Medical Definition

parasympathetic nervous system

noun

: the part of the autonomic nervous system that contains chiefly cholinergic fibers, that tends to induce secretion, to increase the tone and contractility of smooth muscle, and to slow the heart rate, and that consists of (1) a cranial part made up of preganglionic fibers leaving and passing the midbrain by the oculomotor nerves and the hindbrain by the facial, glossopharyngeal, vagus, and accessory nerves and passing to the ciliary, sphenopalatine, submandibular, and otic ganglia of the head or to ganglionated plexuses of the thorax and abdomen and postganglionic fibers passing from these ganglia to end organs of the head and upper trunk and (2) a sacral part made up of preganglionic fibers emerging and passing in the sacral nerves and passing to ganglionated plexuses of the lower trunk and postganglionic fibers passing from these plexuses chiefly to the viscera of the lower abdomen and the external genital organs

called also parasympathetic system

compare sympathetic nervous system