You’ve may have heard people say things like:
“I’m too sympathetic.”
“I need to be more parasympathetic.”

It sounds like one is good and the other is bad.

That’s not how physiology works.

Your autonomic nervous system has two primary branches:

  • Sympathetic (“gas pedal”)

  • Parasympathetic (“brake”)

Both are necessary.
Problems arise when one stays elevated for too long without balance.

Sympathetic (HRV lower) Doesn’t Mean “Bad”

Sympathetic activation is what allows you to:

  • Train hard

  • Compete

  • Focus

  • Respond to challenges

  • Get out of bed and get moving

Without sympathetic drive, there is no performance and no adaptation.

You need it for:

  • Intense workouts

  • Strength training

  • Speed and power work

  • Handling acute stress

The issue isn’t sympathetic activation.
The issue is being stuck there all the time.

Parasympathetic (HRV higher) Doesn’t Mean “Always Good”

Parasympathetic activity supports:

  • Recovery

  • Digestion

  • Sleep

  • Tissue repair

  • Energy conservation

It’s essential for restoring balance.

But more parasympathetic tone isn’t always the answer either.

Excess parasympathetic dominance can show up as:

  • Feeling flat or unmotivated

  • Low drive to train

  • High HRV but poor performance

  • Difficulty generating intensity

Sometimes the system doesn’t need more “calm.”
It needs gentle reactivation.

Dominance Is About State, Not Identity

You are not a “sympathetic person” or a “parasympathetic person.”

Your system shifts back and forth constantly depending on:

  • Training load

  • Sleep

  • Life stress

  • Illness

  • Nutrition

  • Time of day

Dominance just describes which branch is currently more active.

And that changes.

Why Context Matters

Low HRV often reflects greater sympathetic dominance.
That may be appropriate:

  • After a hard workout

  • During a competitive event

  • During a stressful day

High HRV often reflects greater parasympathetic influence.
That may be appropriate:

  • During recovery phases

  • After good sleep

  • During lower training load

Neither state is inherently “good” or “bad.”

What matters is:

  • How long you stay in one state

  • Whether you can shift when needed

  • Whether the state matches your current demands

Flexibility is the goal.

The Big Takeaway

Sympathetic = activation
Parasympathetic = restoration

You need both.

Recovery isn’t about eliminating sympathetic stress.
It’s about moving smoothly between stress and recovery as needed.

When the system loses that flexibility — stuck on the gas or stuck on the brake — that’s when problems start.

The goal isn’t one side winning.
It’s balance and adaptability.