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This will then bring about the physiological changes needed in order to be prepared to either fight-or-flight.

Impulses are then transmitted through the SNS to the adrenal glands, which then pumps adrenaline into the blood stream. When a stressful or anxiety-provoking situation arises, the amygdala (an area of the brain associated with fear and emotions) will send a distress signal to the hypothalamus (a command structure of the brain associated with maintaining homeostasis).

More modern-day stressors can also stimulate the SNS such as financial pressures, stresses at work, or anything that can cause high anxiety for individuals. In evolutionary terms, the SNS would have been used in order to fight or escape prey and for hunting to eat and survive. These autonomic responses to a threatening situation are therefore essential for survival. In this situation, the SNS would trigger responses such as causing the eyes to dilate and the heart to beat faster. For instance, if walking alone down a dark street alone at night and a stranger approached you, your body responds in a way to enable you to either fight or to run away from the situation. The primary function of the SNS is to activate the fight-or-flight response in threatening situations. Also, the neurons of the SNS have shorter axons in comparison to those of the parasympathetic nervous system, thus they act a lot quicker, sometimes the responses happen before a person is consciously aware of them. The parasympathetic branch however stimulates digestion and the urinary system when relaxed, whereas the SNS slows them down as these processes are not required during times of heightened stress.Įssentially, the parasympathetic branch is the antagonist to the SNS. In contrast to the parasympathetic nervous system, which slows down physiological processes, the SNS typically stimulates organs. The SNS can maintain homeostasis through actions such as sweating to cool down the body or in regulating heart rate. The sympathetic nervous system typically functions in actions requiring quick responses.