The autonomic nervous system controls self-regulated actions of internal organs and glands. Without conscious thinking, the autonomic system regulates essential bodily functions. It also consists of sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. The parasympathetic system is known as the calming, or “rest and digest” system. On the opposite end, the sympathetic system triggers the “fight or flight” response in our bodies. In a dangerous or stressful situation, a wave of hormones “boosts the body’s alertness and heart rate, sending extra blood to the muscles. Breathing quickens, delivering fresh oxygen to the brain, and an infusion of glucose is shot into the bloodstream for a quick energy boost.”(Lanese). This happens so quickly that most people do not even fully register what is taking place.
A situation like this happened to me last November. I was in the Middle East on a missions trip, helping Iraqi and Syrian refugees. On our sightseeing day we visited multiple historic sites in Jordan, including the “Lost City” of Petra. Carved directly into vibrant red, white, pink, and sandstone cliff faces, the prehistoric Jordanian city was once a thriving trading center and the capital of the Nabataean empire between 400 B.C. and A.D. 106. (Milstein). This area has been know for intense flash flooding that are extremely dangerous. My group and I were walking within the narrow canyon on our way to the tombs and temples. It was pouring for multiple hours earlier that morning, but of course we thought nothing of it. All of the sudden we heard the roar of a wave and piercing screams. I turn around to see a massive flood rushing towards me and the hundreds of other tourists walking in the canyon. In that moment, I stared at the wave full of trash, animals, and people charging down the path then suddenly threw myself up onto a ledge within the canyon walls. We all held on to the crevice for what seemed like hours (but was only 20 minutes) as the flash flood passed.
That was a moment where I did not think, but I knew I did not want to get swept up by the flood. This is a good example of the sympathetic nervous system because I do not even remember shoving my body into the canyon walls. My heart was pounding, and my breathing was rapid. However, the sympathetic nervous system does not destress the body after the danger has passed. That is the job of the parasympathetic nervous system to counter the “fight or flight” response and return the body to its normal levels.
Works Cited
Lanese, Nicoletta. “Fight or Flight: The Sympathetic Nervous System.” LiveScience, Purch, 2019, www.livescience.com/65446-sympathetic-nervous-system.html.
Milstein, Mati. “‘Lost City’ of Petra Still Has Secrets to Reveal.” , Jordan Archaeology and History | National Geographic, 26 Jan. 2017, www.nationalgeographic.com/archaeology-and-history/archaeology/lost-city-petra/.