Have you shivered from being cold, sweat from being too hot, or had sore muscles from exercising? Most of us experience these on a daily basis and never stop to think about what is happening in our bodies.

These common reactions are our body’s way of maintaining a healthy balance, and the tweaking back and forth is called homeostasis. Homeostasis, like the thermostat in your home, seeks to maintain a balance, stability or equilibrium within a cell, a group of cells or the entire body. The nerve endings in your skin, the receptors throughout your body, and the hormones in your bloodstream monitor the homeostasis of all the different systems at work. This happens simultaneously, and subconsciously, all we notice is that we are cold, hot, or sore.

Homeostasis and optimal health

Optimal health and wellness completely relies on the body’s ability to maintain an internal state of balance regardless of external conditions. All living things including people, animals, and plants depend on this internal balance to function well. A disruption in this intricate balance does lead to a slew of health problems keeping you from experiencing optimal health.

The two major systems responsible for this internal balance are: The nervous system and endocrine system. The nervous system (CB1 Receptors) is your brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerve network, whereas the endocrine system is your glands which secrete chemical messengers known as hormones.

These two are the primary communicators to the brain about the body’s constant need to autocorrect. The neuron communicates everything you feel and think to the nervous system via nerves whereas hormones are carried in the bloodstream to specific areas of the body including organs and tissues (CB2 Receptors).

Although both systems are separate from each other, they are interdependent and homeostasis would not be possible without them working together.