Training your autonomic nervous system in adulthood?

Question

I am a 35 year old female. Is it too late for me to train my body to keep warm in cold temperatures and other physiological processes controled by the autonomic nervous system?

Answer 1

You can't train your autonomic nervous system, as, by its nature, it is not voluntarily controlled.

Mubz: Normal human development does allow changes to occur in the ANS, however Lola is asking whether she could train her body to keep warm in cold temperatures, and almost completely voluntarily train her ANS, rather than redevelop an already learnt process such as regaining contenance. I do think that your opinion is valid, depending on what we are classing as controlling and training the ANS.

Answer 2

I disagree with Nick. You can have limited control over the autonomic system.

The best example is children. At first they are incontinent, but by mechanisms unknown- they soon learn to be able to control urination. While the external urethral sphincter is striated, the internal sphincter is not and neither are the detruser (sp?) muscles of the bladder. Though these are smooth and parasympathetic... there is some voluntary control. The same applie to monks that can consiously control their heart rate.

Anyway... I can't give specific evidence for this, but it is possible to regain ability to control urination after becoming incontinent in adults (due to neural problems). Whether this is training or regaining ability is debatable.

I hope this helps and am sorry not to be able to give you a difinitive answer.