Why Does your Hair Stand on End when you’re Scared?
Have you ever been listening to a particularly creepy episode of AL (like our Black Eyed Kid series, or perhaps our series on Ouija Boards)...and felt the hair on the back of your neck stand up? Why does this happen? And what does it mean?
Why does being scared - whether it be from a podcast, a movie, or a real-life experience - have to do with goosebumps and raised hairs? Why does your body react this way?
While it may seem astonishing, there is a fairly simple physiological reason. First, adrenaline stimulates small muscles that pull on the roots of our hairs, which makes them stand straight up from our skin. However, this does distort the skin, which is why it causes goosebumps (horripilation).
Originally, it seems that hair-raising may have begun as a simple response to cold, as when hair stands on end it adds an insulating layer of air all around the body. This also served a separate purpose - it made ancient humans look bigger and scarier to attackers. You see, humans have been getting scared for centuries. All the way back to when our ancient ancestors had to fend to themselves in a wild, untamed world. However, that means goosebumps are now considered a vestigial reflex, meaning it’s a response we no longer need to function. Goosebumps are actually tied to a human’s fight-or-flight response.
Next time you’re scared, check out your forearms. It is believed that goosebumps occur strongly in one’s forearms although they also can be observed on the legs, neck, and other areas of the body with hair (including the face).
But, if you find yourself breaking out into gooseflesh too often you may want to seed medical help. It is believed that piloerection can also be an indicator of some brain tumors and autonomic hyperreflexia.
The above image is entitled Goosebumps on my sister's arm and is by Iidar Sagdejev. It is liscened under CC BY-SA 3.0.
