We all know what goose bumps are and how they look on our skin. It’s quite interesting to watch your skin instantly get these raised bumps all over our bodies and the hair on our arms stand up perfectly straight. We get them when we’re cold or when we get the chills from something that reminds us of the old days or hear an emotional situation, but have you ever asked yourself why this actually occurs? How does our body react this way towards unrelated events in which provoke the same body response? And how about the name, goosebumps, how did that come about?

According to www.ScientificAmerican.com, “goosebumps are a physiological phenomenon inherited from our animal ancestors, which was useful to them but are not much help to us” Goosebumps are in fact tiny lifted bumps on our skin that resemble the skin of poultry after the feathers have been plucked. However, the reason that our skin elevates when we feel cold occurs because each hair has a contraction of miniature muscles that are attached to it. Therefore, each contracting muscle creates a thin depression on the skin’s surface which leads to the area around it to bulge. This can also happen to animals, when an animal feels threatened its hair expands which makes it seem bigger than it really is. This strategy allows it’s predator to leave them alone.

Not only do we get goosebumps when we’re cold but also during an emotional environment or surrounding. I know I unintentionally receive goosebumps during weddings or hearing a sad story or even a song can trigger them for me. But why does this happen? “The reason for all these responses is the subconscious release of a stress hormone called adrenaline” stated by Scientific American. I strongly agree with this statement because adrenaline can cause many influences on the body as a whole. Adrenaline is a rush of emotions that our body releases that can trigger goosebumps. Therefore it makes sense that our adrenaline is released during a sad moment or a cold setting which in fact cause the hair on our arms to stand up and produce tiny raises bumps all over us. So next time you get the chills randomly from your friend telling you an emotional story or when hearing an old song, you now know why our body responds this way!

Sources

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-do-humans-get-goosebu/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/147782-what-is-your-body-telling-you-when-you-get-goose-bumps/