Strange things the body does

Did you know?

Twitching eye

For no apparent reason your eye suddenly starts twitching out of the blue. You’ve probably heard common superstitions such as: you’ll see someone you haven’t seen in a long time or some good or bad luck is on its way, depending on which eye is twitching. These are, however, just myths.

Why does this happen?

Eye twitching -- also known as blepharospasm -- is an uncontrollable blinking or spasm of the eyelid. Causes include: stress, fatigue and too much caffeine. Although annoying it is usually harmless and often goes away on its own.

That falling feeling

You’re drifting into sleep and suddenly it feels like you’re falling and your body jerks awake. This strange falling sensation is called a hypnic jerk or hypnagogic myoclonic twitch. About 70% of people have experienced it, and is more common in people with sleep problems.

Why does this happen?

As you drift into sleep the body changes in temperature, your breathing slows down and your muscles relax. The brain misinterprets this as a fall and signals your legs to wake up.

Pins and needles

You get up from your chair but one foot has absolutely no feeling in it as you start moving it slowly starts coming back to life. It is often accompanied by a tingling needle and pin sensation. We’ve all experienced sleeping limbs and needles and pins at some point.

Why does this happen?

An arm or leg sleeping usually occurs when pressure is put on a part of the body like sitting on a leg or sleeping on an arm. The pressure cuts off communication from the brain to parts of the body. It squeezes the nerve pathways making it impossible to transmit impulses properly. Once the pressure is relieved normal function resumes. That pins and needles feeling is caused by pain messages sent from the nerves to the brain.

Blushing

You suddenly blurt out something without thinking to the person you’ve secretly been admiring. And you feel it happening, your cheeks start tingling as they warm up, you’re probably bright red by now. Blushing usually accompanies shame, embarrassment or pressure.

Why does this happen?

According to Medclick blushing is a phenomenon that combines a physical reaction with social behaviour.

When you’re shy or embarrassed adrenalin kicks in, your blood pressure elevates, your heartbeat accelerates and there’s a rush of blood flow. As a result the small blood vessels in the face expand increasing the blood flow which causes reddening of the cheeks and ears. The best way to alleviate blushing is to simply relax and transport yourself to a calm place in your mind.

Pop goes your ears

You’re going up to the 40^th floor in the lift, your ears hurt and ‘close’ as the lift ascends there’s a popping sensation in your ears and they appear ‘open’ again.

Why does this happen?

At low pressure the eardrums push outwards and cause a pop, at high pressure the eardrums push inwards causing another pop. This popping keeps the air pressure balanced on either side of the eardrums.

There’s something in my stomach

You’re sitting in a meeting and there’s loud, grumbling, rumbling, bubbling noise, and it’s coming from your stomach.

Why does this happen?

Grumbling is caused by contractions of the muscles of the stomach and the small intestine. These contractions move and push content downwards, it grinds liquids and solids into a mixture called chyme.

According to DiscoveryHealth, moving with the solid and liquid chyme are gas and air. These ingredients get pushed down and broken up into pockets of air, gas also gets squeezed thus making the noise you hear.

Excessive stomach growling can also be the result of irritable bowel syndrome or an upset stomach.