12 Defense Mechanisms Your Body Constantly Uses

You’ve probably spotted by now certain body reactions you have never linked to a cause. Our main survival instinct and mechanism our organism has developed is a vast of defense measures that make up an entire system. The main thing that shields us from a lot of health issues or potential threats.

These simple reactions have a much deeper meaning in the whole body and they provide many benefits for which we were not aware. These are some of the weirdest reactions that the human body does in order to defend its health:

1. Goosebumps

When you are out in the cold, you have definitely noticed all those little bumps that appear on the skin. In this way, the body tries to reduce the heat loss through the skin pores. So, it saves the needed heat in order to stay warm. Also, they cause the hair to stand up thus making us look bigger and intimidating to predators.

2. Sneezing

Sneezing not only provides a relief but it also has a much deeper purpose. It appears as a result of a blocked nasal passage with microbes, dust or germs. In this way, the body stimulates their removal of these things that can further bring about some disease.

3. Skin-Pruning

When sitting in water for a long time, your skin gets rubbery and wrinkly. This does not mean that your body dries up when exposed to water but the skin itself creates a wrinkly layer to provide a better grip.

4. Crying

When you think of crying, you will probably link it to emotions. However, it is more than a release of some steam after moments of sadness, stress, grief and anxiety. The tears serve as a membrane that protect the eyes from various things that come in contact with the eyeball. So, primarily, tears are powerful mechanisms of eyes protection.

5. Wincing at high pitched noises

If you hear the sound of nails on chalkboard you would probably cover your ears. According to the researchers, the frequency of these noises is equal to a warning call of a macaque monkey. So, this reaction is related to our primate instincts.

6. Stretching

You may find this reaction as a completely natural and automatic thing you do when you wake up but it has a much deeper purpose. Both people and animals normally stretch when they prepare for some physical activity. Also, people stretch throughout the day as a result of drowsiness or long period of inactivity. In this way, the body prepares the muscles and joints as well as it improves the blood flow. Surprisingly enough, stretching can improve the mood.

7. Yawning

This is a common reaction which occurs when the body is tired and the brain is overheated. This can also be a result of the lack of sleep and exhaustion because the body tends to increase the body temperature.

8. Hiccups

Hiccups usually occur when we swallow large pieces of food, drink too quickly or when we overeat. These conditions irritate the pneumogastric nerve thus producing hiccups.

9. Myoclonic Jerks

These seizures are usually caused by sudden muscle contractions while you are sleeping. You might feel as if you are about to fall but then you catch yourself. This is because you breathe less and the heart rate is slowed down, so the body immediately reacts to the impending death.

10. Memory Loss

This condition occurs in order to block out the unpleasant memory. Sometimes, they can reappear but the body can’t lock them away from the conscious mind.

11. Pain

The pain is an immediate signal to the brain that the specific action you are performing, can harm your health. So, an instinctive reaction occurs to protect you from certain damage to the body. If there is no pain, you won’t know when you are in danger.

12. Sunburns

When you expose your skin to the sun for some period, it burns, turning red and irritated. However, this is a natural body defense against the harmful sun rays.

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