Autonomic Nervous System and Collagen
Can a dysregulated nervous system cause collagen to stiffen or form restrictions? Yes it can!
Your autonomic nervous system (ANS) is like the body’s automatic pilot — regulating stress, rest, and repair.
- When it’s stuck in overdrive (like a car engine that won’t idle down), tissues don’t get the signal to fully relax.
- Over time, this can alter how collagen — the body’s primary support structure — behaves.
- Instead of staying flexible, collagen may stiffen and lose its softness and pliability.
This hardening creates patches of stiffness, limiting movement and making it harder for your body to flow, heal, and repair.
How This Shows Up as Stiffness and Lingering Pain
Do you ever feel tight no matter how much you stretch? Or notice that an old injury still aches even years later?
- Stiffened collagen can act like a wrinkle in a shirt that refuses to smooth out.
- These restrictions trap tension, block natural motion, and keep sending stress signals back to your nervous system.
- The result is a loop of pain and stiffness — your body holding onto discomfort even when the original injury has technically healed.
This is why pain can sometimes feel “stuck” in the body, creating ongoing tension that doesn’t respond to simple stretching or rest.
