Quickly assess your knowledge of the Nervous System & Stress, and identify gaps in your education. See below for assessments on these subjects:
Offer a series of free quizzes for yoga teachers to:
For more self-assessments, see the Standards & Self-Assessment Hub.
Understand the foundational anatomy and physiology of the nervous system.
| AFFERENT NEURON | | | A neuron that caries information from the central nervous system to the rest of the body; also called efferent nerve fiber or efferent fiber |
| AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM (ANS) | | | Governs the typically automatic functions, including breathing, heart rate and the endocrine (hormone) system; it is comprised of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems |
| CARDIAC ANS | | | Triggers the stress response and fight-or-flight response |
| CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS) | | | Fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord; has a cushioning effect, protects against chemical and physical injury, contributes to homeostasis and circulation, and provides immunological protection |
| CEREBRAL SPINAL FLUID (CSF) | | | The body’s “electrical wiring” consisting of the brain, spinal cord, neurons, nerves, meninges, cerebrospinal fluid and sensory receptors |
| EFFERENT NEURON | | | Chemical messengers of the nervous system that transmit signals between neurons by sending impulses across a synapse; examples include noradrenaline, dopamine, serotonin, histamine, oxytocin, BDNF, insulin and taurine |
| HEART RATE VARIABILITY (HRV) | | | The brain and spinal cord |
| INTERNEURON | | | Protective tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord |
| MENINGES | | | Controls conscious bodily activities such as moving the arm |
| NERVE | | | A cell in the nervous system; conducts nerve impulses the “basic working unit” of the nervous system, communicates via electrical signals which are converted into neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) |
| NERVOUS SYSTEM | | | “A bundle of neurons along with their connective tissue sheaths, blood vessels, and lymphatics” bundles of nerve fibers found in the peripheral nervous system |
| NEURON / NERVE CELL | | | All other parts of the nervous system that are outside of the brain and spinal cord |
| NEUROTRANSMITTERS | | | Controls the relaxation response, rest-and-digest state |
| PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM | | | The change in length of time between heartbeats, an indicator of parasympathetic nervous system functioning, “a physiological measure of emotional stress” (Dr. Stephen Sinatra MD) |
| PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM | | | Located throughout the body, they “release a neurotransmitter that excites its corresponding nerve to send information to the brain” |
| SENSORY RECEPTORS | | | A neuron that acts as an intermediary to allow afferent and efferent neurons to communicate with each other; also called association neuron |
| SOMATIC NERVOUS SYSTEM | | | A neuron that carries information from sensory receptors to the central nervous system; also called afferent nerve fiber or afferent fiber |
| SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM | | | The part of the autonomic nervous system “responsible for the regulation of heart rate, blood pressure, and maintaining homeostasis during physiological stress such as exercise” |
Be familiar with the significance of vagal tone in the experience of stress and the effectiveness of yoga techniques.
Understand the physiology of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in activating the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, and the workings of the stress response, fight-or-flight response and relaxation response, plus the polyvagal theory of how the ANS functions.
| FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE | | | Other names for Fight or Flight Response |
| HYPERAROUSAL OR ACUTE STRESS RESPONSE | | | A way of understanding autonomic nervous system physiology; ANS states are said to be fight-or-flight, collapse and social engagement (existing on a continuum, not entirely separately) and directly managed by the vagus nerve |
| RELAXATION RESPONSE | | | A physiological reaction that occurs when stress is perceived to be excessive or threatening |
| RELAXATION RESPONSE | | | A physical state of deep rest that changes the physical and emotional response to stress; the opposite of the fight-or-flight response |
Be proficient in communicating how yoga impacts the nervous system and stress, and the many profound effects this has on health, including genetic expression (epigenetics).
Enrolling in the Study Program gives you:
See here for information about exams, badges and certification. Get links for each exam, and for a no-risk trial exam.
We think you’ll enjoy taking the exams. The questions are well-thought-out and the subject matter is quite engaging and significant for teachers. You’ll get an inspiring teaching after answering each question. At the end of the exam, you see a summary of wrong answers and the relevant teachings, giving you a personal study guide targeted to your needs.
This is an hour well-spent!
