While stress activates the fight-or-flight system (also called the sympathetic nervous system), meditation activates the resting-and-digesting system (also called the parasympathetic nervous system). The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for things like lowering heart rate and blood pressure, and it directly counters the effects of the stress response. Given the profound connection between the stress response and the neurological, hormonal, and immune systems, a calmer, healthier mind seemed like a good place to start reversing the effects of toxic stress.
