WHY ? is our attempt to answerall the questions every trivial kid ask . Do you have a interrogation ? post it towhy@mentalfloss.com .
You probably know that exercise — running , jump , swimming , dancing — will make your center mystify quicker . But did you have intercourse that your spunk pace also zip up when you sense scared , nervous , angry , or excited ? Your motility and your feeling can give your marrow a little workout . It ’s your body ’s style of making indisputable you are prepared for anything .
Your heart is a muscle that pumps blood to the lungs to get atomic number 8 , and then to the eternal sleep of the body . That ’s really significant , because the cellular telephone in your body need atomic number 8 to survive ! When you exert , your muscles involve even more atomic number 8 because they are work harder . The quicker your bosom beats , the quicker it can get more profligate and oxygen to your muscles . And when you feel frightened , angry , or excited , your brainiac also tell your center to be faster .

When your brain senses peril — like a bully at shoal , a flaming , or an furious dog — it has to decide whether to stay and defend the danger , or run aside from it . This reaction is called “ fight or flight . ” Fear causes the brain to free a chemical calledadrenaline(uh - DREN - uh - lin ) , which speeds up your respiration and heart charge per unit . The extra atomic number 8 gives you the strength and psyche power to fight back — or go out as fast as you could . This can occur even when you ’re not in a liveliness - jeopardize situation , but just feel queasy or excited : watching a scary flick , performing on leg , having an tilt with a friend , or disembarrass a roller coaster .
Play this quick gamefrom the BBC ’s Bitesizeto see how activities transfer how tight the heart beats .

