Rerouting the System: Training the Body with Dysautonomia
Argan Athlete | Performance Blog
Dizziness. Fatigue. Heart palpitations after standing. A racing heart during a slow walk. These aren’t symptoms most people associate with athletic clients—but for those living with dysautonomia, they’re daily realities.
And too often, they’re dismissed or misunderstood.
At Argan Athlete, we work with high-functioning adults who want to move again—but whose autonomic nervous system has lost its rhythm. Whether from long COVID, POTS, EDS, concussion, or trauma, dysautonomia demands a different approach to rehab and training. One that respects physiology first—and rebuilds performance from the inside out.
What Is Dysautonomia?
Dysautonomia refers to a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS)—the system responsible for regulating blood pressure, heart rate, digestion, and thermoregulation. In athletes and active adults, it can masquerade as deconditioning, anxiety, or poor recovery.
Common forms include:
POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome)
Neurocardiogenic Syncope (NCS)
Orthostatic Hypotension
Autonomic instability after concussion or viral illness
Symptoms are often triggered by upright posture, heat, stress, or exertion—and may worsen with traditional exercise.
Why Traditional Rehab Falls Short
Most exercise prescriptions fail to account for autonomic strain. Treadmill walking, upright resistance training, and even prolonged stretching can provoke symptoms. Worse, well-meaning advice like “just push through it” can set clients back for days.
The key to progress is graded exposure + autonomic pacing, not pushing tolerance.
What the Research Tells Us
Recumbent and semi-recumbent training improves tolerance in POTS patients. (Fu et al., 2010)
Compression garments, hydration, and salt intake can significantly reduce symptom severity. (Raj, 2013)
Autonomic retraining (e.g., tilt training, vagal stimulation, slow breathing) improves HR variability and orthostatic response. (Grubb, 2008)
Baroreflex sensitivity improves with resistance training when dosed carefully. (Convertino, 2001)
Our Approach at Argan Athlete
We build customized rehab frameworks with the following priorities:
1. Ground-Based Stability
Begin in supine, quadruped, or 90/90 positions:
Supine marching
Banded glute bridges
Prone scapular retraction
Controlled nasal breathing with light activation drills
Focus is on circulation, breath, and neuromuscular control—without provoking an upright stress response.
2. Recumbent Conditioning
Light intervals on:
Rowers
Supine bike
Seated resistance circuits
We watch heart rate, breathing rate, and perceived exertion closely. Progression is slow, with intentional rest breaks to avoid sympathetic overdrive.
3. Autonomic Regulation
Each session integrates:
Box breathing, alternate nostril breathing, or paced breathing (5–6 bpm)
Isometric holds with breath control
Brief periods of upright tolerance with immediate return to ground
Daily HRV monitoring (for willing clients)
4. Lifestyle Coaching
Increase salt and fluid intake (up to 3–5 L/day with 3–10g sodium, if cleared)
Compression socks or abdominal binders for upright activity
Temperature regulation and pacing for heat-sensitive clients
Nutrition, sleep, and emotional regulation strategies
Who We Help
We work with:
Post-viral athletes recovering from long COVID or mono
Active professionals with POTS or unexplained fatigue
Clients with EDS or joint hypermobility struggling with both pain and blood pressure regulation
Post-concussion cases where dysautonomia was missed in earlier rehab
We help them get back to life—on their terms.
Final Thoughts
Dysautonomia isn’t a mindset issue. It’s a systems issue. And while it can’t be “fixed” with grit, it can be trained—if we stop asking the body to push harder and start asking it to move smarter.
If your workouts make you feel worse—or if your recovery hasn’t made sense—let’s look deeper. There’s a way forward, and it starts with listening to what your nervous system has been trying to say.
