Abstract: The ongoing health of our bodies is dependent on maintaining a balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic tone. These two branches of the autonomic nervous system work in concert to maintain homeostasis, protect the body against threats, and respond to internal and external stressors. As such, the appropriate and regulated activation of these systems is essential for maintaining health. The concept of balancing excitatory and inhibitory signals is conserved across species to the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Although C. elegans lack a distinct autonomic nervous system, they still rely on excitatory and inhibitory neurochemical signaling to mediate behavioral and biochemical processes. Two key players in this balancing act are the excitatory neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, and the inhibitory neurotransmitter, gammaaminobutyric acid (GABA). In our recent work, we have shown that coordination of these systems is essential for maintaining mitochondrial health across the body.