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Background: Over the last few years, we have experienced an increasing interest in neurology and neurological processes within the disciplines of psychology and psychiatry. The neuropsychological perspective allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the human mind and it’s evolutionary development. Main part: A theory of the hierarchical structure of human consciousness in which instinctual awareness developed in the early stages in the history of humankind forms the basis for determining consciousness in modern man. According to this theory, man’s attention and consciousness is normally determined topdown as we let reason and reflection control our emotions and behaviour. Under certain circumstances, however, this may change to a bottom-up process in which reflection and behavioural control is being replaced by instinctive vigilance and openness. At the instinctive level, human behaviour is controlled by the autonomous nervous system. The autonomous nervous system shifts between activity and rest with the possible predominance of either of the two. In the extremes this means either high-intensity or complete rest. Conclusion: For the athlete, the challenge in a competitive situation is to find a good a balance between intensity and calm at the highest level of intensity. This is normally labelled as a paradoxical activation of the autonomous nervous system. For the patient that has been exposed to a traumatic situation, the objective is to find a balance of intensity and calmness at the low intensity level.

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