The autonomic nervous system controls many actions you don’t have to think about doing, like sweating, salivating and digesting. It also controls some actions that happen with or without your conscious control. The autonomic nervous system is further split into two divisions based on function: the parasympathetic and the sympathetic.
The sympathetic nervous system controls your internal processes when you’re in “fight or flight” mode. Let’s say a person is being chased by a crazy kitten. In the presence of this threat, the sympathetic nervous system takes over. It will increase the person’s heart rate and move blood to his lungs. The parasympathetic nervous system controls the “rest and digest” mode. Let’s say the person successfully escapes the crazy kitten. In the absence of stress, his parasympathetic nervous system will slow his heart down and move blood back to the digestive system again.
Which of the following describes the sympathetic nervous system?
A
It controls the body’s “rest and digest” mode.
B
It carries blood throughout the body from the heart.
C
It slows down the heart rate.
D
It works during “fight or flight” mode.