In the middle of the night, you hear two loud thumps outside your bedroom door. Your ________ nervous system increases your heart rate and sends blood away from internal organs to your muscles, preparing you for "fight or flight." When you learn it is just your roommate coming in late, your ________ nervous system slows down your heart rate and calms you down.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the "fight or flight" response, increasing heart rate and directing blood flow to muscles. The parasympathetic nervous system calms the body down, slowing the heart rate and restoring internal balance.  The sympathetic system is responsible for response to emergency situations. The parasympathetic nervous system monitors the body's internal routine operations and returns the body to its day-to-day state when the emergency is resolved.

In the Middle of the Night, You Hear Two Loud