Why do we blush? When we're embarassed, ashamed or shy, we blush. Blushing is governed by our sympathetic nervous system. Its functioning is not under our control. When we're ashamed or shy, it causes us immediate stress. As a result our sympathetic nervous system cosiders it as a threat. To defend the threat this system orders our adrenal glands to release a hormone called adrenaline. Adrenaline speeds up our breathing rate. It expands the blood vessels so that more blood and oxygen can be reached to our body parts. Thus preparing our body for fight or flight. As the blood vessels on our face are very close to our skin surface, they make our face appear red.

• immediate stress
• a threat to our sumpathetic nervous system
• adrenal glands release a hormone
• breathing rate increases
• blood vessels expand
• blood and oxygen reach our face
• our face appears red