4 Incredible Defense Mechanisms That Your Body Has

The human body features an intricate and complex system of mechanisms, many of which have not been fully understood by scientists even today, in the modern age.

By nature, your body is trained to fight off and resist to a multitude of negative external factors. Be it bodily or psychological, these functions are meant to keep you alive and healthy for as long as possible. We, as humans, are natural survivalists even today, when we are not required to put ourselves in danger in order to survive.

Therefore, here are 4 incredible self-defense mechanisms that your body is naturally equipped with.

• Pruney fingers

Pruney fingers, also known as that thing that scared the living hell out of you when you were a kid, represent one of the body’s self-defense mechanisms.

When the body is exposed to a high amount of water (or moisture), this sends a signal to the brain that the environment will cause you to slip. As a result, the skin on your hands becomes wrinkled.

A 2013 study published in Biology Letters states that the wrinkling of the fingers might have helped our ancestors to use tools in unfavorable weather conditions, such as rain.

• Sneezing

Sneezing is yet another tool that the body is equipped with to survive. Usually, a sneeze is the body’s way to clear up the nasal passages, eliminating microbes, dust, and other toxic substances.

Although it is not always the case, sneezing could be a symptom caused by various chronic allergies or the common cold. Some people sneeze after consuming a particularly large meal or when looking at the sun.

• Yawning

Yawning is one of the most natural and commonplace reactions of the human body, yet scientists have not yet reached a consensus on the causes of this phenomenon. The only thing that we know about yawning is that it is caused by stress, boredom, fatigue and other related things.

Still, recent studies suggest that the act of yawning is the body’s way of cooling off the brain.

Yawning, because it stretches the jaw, causes an increased flow of blood to the head, face, and neck. It improves the circulation of blood to the brain, allowing it to cool off and refresh it.

• Memory loss

Although memory loss is commonly associated with disorders related to the brain, it also protects it from psychological damages and trauma.

The main purpose of memory loss is to filter the events that the person has experienced. The traumatic and unimportant events are slowly eliminated, leaving room for newer, fresher, more important information. By doing that, the brain constantly improves and refreshes its functions, helping the person adapt more quickly to newer situations. Still, the memories are not completely eliminated, but are buried deep within the mind and can be relieved.

As you can see, the human body is a complex structure fit to adapt to any unusual situations. As a result, there is no wonder why the human species is at the top of the trophic chain.