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As it turns out, being frightened sparks something called the "fight or flight response," which is how your body reacts to stress-inducing situations like the Nightmare on Elm Street movies. Apparently, this instinct was wired into us way back when our place in the food chain was a little shakier. A handy page hosted by the USC Med School sums up the physical symptoms of fear: "Heart rate, breathing rate, metabolism, muscle tension, and blood pressure all increase. Blood is directed away from your digestive system and extremities, making your hands and feet cold. The blood goes into your larger muscles that help you fight or run." All of these responses are meant to get the body ready for fighting the danger (a tiger,
a playground bully), or running away from the threat. Are you a fighter or a runner? Either way, your heart pumps hard to help your body react quicker. (For the record, we here at Ask Yahoo! prefer to run like heck.)
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