Stress response by the body is regulated by the nervous system. As the day of the exam draws by, the cerebral cortex of the student activates the hypothalamus that triggers hormones to be released that activates the systemic branch of the autonomic nervous and endocrine system (Larissa, 2018). The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary bodily responses such as breathing, heartbeat, and digestion. The endocrine system contains glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream that regulate the functions of body organs. The student's pituitary gland in response to the activated hypothalamus, which would secrete a hormone which in turn triggers the release of stress hormones from the adrenal glands and it would help the student manage stress by making nutrients available to meet the demand for energy. These hormones activate the sympathetic division of the autonomic system, causing increased heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure and the suppression of digestion (America psychological association, 2019). After the exam, the student is restored to a less tressful state. The parasympathetic branch of the autonomic system would slow the student's heartbeat and breathing and digestive processes would no longer be suppressed and the student gains appetite for food (BcCampus, 2019).
