The peripheral nervous system is further split into two divisions. These divisions are based on the different functions they carry out. The somatic nervous system controls voluntary actions. That means that anything you have to think about doing is controlled by the somatic nervous system. Whether you’re sprinting after a school bus, tiptoeing away from a slumbering dragon, dancing in the moonlight or just twiddling your thumbs—that’s the somatic nervous system sending messages to your muscles. The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary actions. You don’t have to tell your heart to beat or your digestive system to break your food down into nutrients. Those things still require your nervous system. They’re the job of the autonomic nervous system.
Which of the following actions is mostly controlled by the autonomic nervous system?
A
waving
B
breathing
C
clapping
D
walking