Buzz
You’re likely aware that physical activity—like running, jumping, swimming, or dancing—can make your heart beat faster. But did you know that emotions such as fear, nervousness, anger, or excitement can also speed up your heart rate? Both your movements and emotions give your heart a bit of a workout. It’s your body’s way of preparing you for anything that comes your way.
Your heart is a muscle responsible for pumping blood to the lungs to collect oxygen, and then to the rest of the body. This is crucial because the cells in your body rely on oxygen to stay alive! During exercise, your muscles demand even more oxygen because they’re working harder. The faster your heart beats, the quicker it can deliver blood and oxygen to your muscles. And when you experience emotions like fear, anger, or excitement, your brain signals your heart to speed up.
When your brain detects a potential threat—whether it’s a bully, a fire, or an aggressive dog—it must decide whether to stand and fight or flee. This response is known as “fight or flight.” Fear triggers the brain to release a chemical called adrenaline (uh-DREN-uh-lin), which increases your heart rate and breathing. The additional oxygen boosts your strength and mental focus to either fight back or escape quickly. This reaction can happen even in non-dangerous situations, like feeling nervous, excited, watching a horror movie, performing in front of an audience, arguing with a friend, or riding a roller coaster.
Try out this quick game from BBC's Bitesize to explore how different activities affect your heart rate.
