
The SNS is, arguably, even more important than the PSNS because it controls our ‘fight or flight’ response. What Does the Sympathetic Nervous System Do? Motility of the large and small intestines increases.The PSNS regulates ‘rest and digest’ functions Key Effects of the Parasympathetic Nervous System These include the production of saliva, tears, and urine, digestion, defecation, and sexual arousal. It keeps your heart rate and blood pressure steady while stimulating activities related to digestive and sexual function. Put simply, the PSNS keeps your bodily functions working as they should. The PSNS regulates the functions of your organs and glands at rest, otherwise known as the ‘rest and digest’ or ‘feed and breed’ activities. What Does the Parasympathetic Nervous System Do? Increased conversion of glycogen to glucose Originates in the sacral region of the spinal cord and the medullaĬontrols body’s response to perceived threats Originates in the thoracic and lumbar regions of the spinal cord The nervous system regulates the body’s vital functions The SNS is the driving force behind the ‘fight or flight’response and triggers a number of physiological changes that prepare the body to confront or flee a perceived threat. It is responsible for regulating digestive and sexual function while keeping heart rate and blood pressure steady. The PSNS controls the ‘rest and digest’functions of the body and maintains the body’s internal environment. Together, they regulate the involuntary and reflexive functions of the human body. The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) are both components of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The human nervous system is a sprawling network of nerves and cells which, together, regulate all of the vital functions that take place in our bodies.
