Fight-or-flight response

The fight-or-flight response is when your body reacts to a dangerous situation. It was first discovered by an American doctor named Walter Cannon in the early 1900s. He noticed that when animals were faced with danger, their bodies would go into a 'fight-or-flight' mode.

When the fight-or-flight response is activated, your body releases different chemicals that make you ready for either fighting or running away. This happens really quickly and almost automatically. All kinds of things can trigger your body's fight-or-flight response, even things that aren't really dangerous like getting a bad grade or having to do a speech.

When your body goes into fight-or-flight mode, you might feel your heart beating faster, your breath getting quicker, and your muscles getting tense. You also might have a hard time focusing and thinking clearly. This is all because of the chemicals that were released into your body.

The fight-or-flight response is your body's way of keeping you safe. When you're faced with something that scares you or worries you, your body is trying to prepare you for the best way to respond. So if it seems like your body is acting before you can think, that's probably because it is!