Can You Actually Be Scared to Death?

Can a scare actually stop your heart? All sources below. ▶ All full episodes:    • What Happens to Your Body? Full Episodes   🔔 Subscribe for new body explainers every week:    / @redlinebody   This animated explainer follows one jump scare through your body: the 74-millisecond brain alarm, why you freeze first, the adrenaline rush (heart, lungs, pupils, gut, goosebumps, sweaty palms), why time seems to slow down, why some people faint at the sight of blood (and the squeeze that helps), the cortisol wave, why horror movies change your blood, and broken heart syndrome, the real way fear can stun a heart. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 0:00 Boo. 0:31 Is "scared to death" just an expression? 1:00 The 74-millisecond alarm 1:50 The freeze 2:10 Adrenaline: gas pedal to the floor 3:21 Does time really slow down? 4:01 The fainting switch (try this) 5:07 The second wave: cortisol 5:55 The stunned heart: broken heart syndrome 7:09 When a scare stops a heart 8:24 The full picture 📚 SOURCES Amygdala responds to fear in 74 ms: Méndez-Bértolo et al. (2016), Nature Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.4324 Haunted house, heart rate and fun: Andersen et al. (2020), Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797620972116 Freezing and heart-rate drop: Roelofs et al. (2010), Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797610384746 Goosebumps and the sympathetic nerve: Shwartz et al. (2020), Cell. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2020.0... Emotional sweating on palms: Asahina et al. (2015), Clinical Autonomic Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10286-015-02... Stress, stomach and colon: Taché et al. (2018), Current Molecular Pharmacology. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874467210666... Does time slow down in a free fall?: Stetson et al. (2007), PLoS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.... Fainting in blood/needle fear: Ducasse et al. (2013), Encéphale. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.encep.2012.... Counter-pressure moves against fainting: van Dijk et al. (2006), JACC. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2006.0... Cortisol timing in a lab stressor: Pötzl et al. (2023), Psychoneuroendocrinology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.20... Horror movies and clotting factor VIII: Nemeth et al. (2015), BMJ. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h6367 Broken heart syndrome and adrenaline: Wittstein et al. (2005), NEJM. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa043046 Takotsubo ("octopus pot"): Akashi et al. (2010), Annual Review of Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.med.0... International takotsubo registry: Templin et al. (2015), NEJM. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1406761 Happy heart syndrome: Ghadri et al. (2016), European Heart Journal. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehv757 Takotsubo review: Gianni et al. (2006), European Heart Journal. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehl032 Earthquake and sudden cardiac death: Leor et al. (1996), NEJM. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199602153... Soccer tournament and cardiac emergencies: Wilbert-Lampen et al. (2008), NEJM. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa0707427 Harvard Health: Understanding the stress response · Cleveland Clinic: Sympathetic Nervous System, Vasovagal Syncope, Broken Heart Syndrome · NHLBI: Heart Attack Symptoms ⚠️ Educational, not medical advice. Chest pain, trouble breathing or fainting after a shock: call 911. If you faint often, see a doctor. 🎨 Animation & narration: Redline Body #WhatIf #Animation #halloween #scared #fear #adrenaline #brokenheartsyndrome #humanbody #science #heart #brain #physiology #explained #education #spooky #redlinebody