Video - Introduction to the somatic and autonomic nervous systems

The somatic nervous system is the part of the peripheral nervous system associated with voluntary body movements. It consists of nerve fibers that control voluntary actions and convey sensory information input from the skin, skeletal muscles, and joints.

On the other hand, the autonomic nervous system controls all the involuntary processes in the body, like heart rate, digestion, and breathing. It's made up of two parts: the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the "fight or flight" response. It's activated when we're in danger or under stress, and it causes all of the body's systems to work faster so that we can either fight or run away.

The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for "rest and digest" mode. It's activated when we're relaxed and not in danger, and it causes all of the body's systems to work more slowly so that we can rest and digest food.