• Question: why do we sometimes shake if we are nervous or scared?

    Asked by iram123 to Indi, Jarv, John, Ken, Vicky on 15 Mar 2012.
    • Photo: Jarvist Moore Frost

      Jarvist Moore Frost answered on 15 Mar 2012:

      I think it’s due to the Adrenalin (and probably other more subtle chemicals / neurological responses) that are designed to make you ready for ‘fight or flight’.
      Unfortunately this response to a scary or dangerous situation is not so useful these days, as logical thought & fine muscle control (such as what you’d need to avoid a car accident) are probably more useful to try and avoid things that could harm us.

    • Photo: Vicky Young

      Vicky Young answered on 15 Mar 2012:

      Hi Iram

      Jarvis has it right, its due to adrenalin. Your heart beats faster because it is stimulated by the hormone adrenaline which is produced when you are afraid or stressed or nervous. This hormone is responsible for making your heart beat faster, speeding up your breathing (to give extra oxygen to your muscles) and diverting blood from your digestive system to your muscles (for the same reason). This is the reason why you also shake.

    • Photo: John Prytherch

      John Prytherch answered on 18 Mar 2012:

      While it isn’t always useful these days, you sometimes hear about situations where, say, a child is trapped under a car and the mother suddenly found the strength to free the child, where normally she wouldn’t have been able to do it. I think this is also due to the adrenalin ‘boost’ to the muscles.

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