Practice question · Put in order
Order the arc of a sympathetic stress response and its recovery.
- The sympathetic branch activates, mobilizing energy.
- The threat passes.
- The parasympathetic branch restores the calm baseline.
- Heart rate rises, pupils dilate, and digestion halts.
- A sudden threat is perceived by the brain.
Hints
- Sympathetic arousal comes first; parasympathetic recovery is an active step AFTER the danger ends.
- The bodily changes follow sympathetic activation, and calm returns only once the threat is gone.
Show the answer
- A sudden threat is perceived by the brain.
- The sympathetic branch activates, mobilizing energy.
- Heart rate rises, pupils dilate, and digestion halts.
- The threat passes.
- The parasympathetic branch restores the calm baseline.
Why
Threat drives sympathetic activation and its bodily changes; once the danger passes, the parasympathetic branch actively restores calm. Recovery is not passive - it is the opposing branch taking over.
Practise The Nervous System
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