The Sympathetic and Parasympathetic
Divisions of the Nervous System

The Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous Systems

The autonomic nervous system directs all activities of the body that occur without a person's conscious control, such as breathing and food digestion. It has two parts: the sympathetic division, which is most active in times of stress, and the parasympathetic division, which controls maintenance activities and helps conserve the body's energy.