Which division of the autonomic nervous system typically arouses the body in times of stress?

• A. Parasympathetic
• B. Sympathetic
• C. Somatic
• D. Enteric

Answer: (B)

When stress hits, the body quickly activates the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system. This arousal system prepares you for fight-or-flight by increasing heart rate and blood flow to muscles, expanding airways for more oxygen, dilating pupils, and mobilizing stored energy through glucose release. It also dampens nonessential activities like digestion to prioritize immediate action. The parasympathetic system, in contrast, promotes rest and digestion, so it’s not the driver of this stress-ready state. The somatic system governs voluntary muscle movement, and the enteric system handles gut function, neither of which accounts for the rapid whole-body arousal seen in stress.