Biology Mysteries: Human Survival Mode
Author: May is a Student Ambassador in Burma who loves researching, exploring, and experiencing. Her Biology Mysteries club includes a series of articles and a group chat to discuss these topics.
Did you know that humans have their own “survival mode,” just like in video games?
We may not even realize it, but our bodies are designed to protect us from potential danger or distress. When faced with stress or threat, our nervous system automatically activates powerful biological responses that prepare us to react, escape, or stay alert. This isn’t imagination or coincidence — it’s real biology at work
The Yawn Mechanism
Ever felt embarrassed for yawning in class? It turns out your body might be trying to help you survive pressure and stay alert.
According to experts Andrew and Gordon Gallup, yawning isn’t just a sign of boredom; it acts as a biological reset that increases blood flow to the brain and helps regulate brain temperature.
By stretching the jaw and taking a deep breath, the body raises alertness and slightly increases cortisol levels, keeping the brain ready for action. This may explain why we often yawn during stressful or demanding situations — it’s the body’s way of maintaining focus and preparedness when attention is crucial. Rather than being useless or rude, yawning can be seen as a subtle survival mechanism that helps the brain stay responsive.
Wrinkled Skin
Moving on, think of the wrinkles on your fingers after a long bath or swimming in a pool. According to the Cleveland Clinic, this isn't caused by your skin absorbing water; instead, it's an active survival trait.
To help you get a better grip on wet surfaces, your body automatically shrinks the blood vessels in your fingertips. For instance, in case you were drowning, or because your body thinks you might be. This pulls the skin inward, wicking water away so you can grab onto things more effectively.
The Heart Start
Have you ever noticed why your heart beats before an exam or a presentation?
This is not a sign that something is wrong, but your body may react in the same way to feelings of danger.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, this is because the feeling of ‘stress’ causes the adrenal glands to release adrenaline, which increases heart rate and blood pressure so that oxygen and nutrients are delivered more quickly to the muscles and brain. Adrenaline is a hormone that is released when facing stressful situations like exams; however, it is also the same hormone released when you might be in danger. The body reacts this way to provide rapid heartbeat and sufficient oxygen to allow the body to prepare for quick thinking and immediate action: to run, fight or react quickly.
The Scroll of Doom
Last but not least, let’s talk about doomscrolling. Nowadays, most of us spend time on social media, watching endless reels. Occasionally, that’s fine – but have you ever wondered why it’s so hard to stop? According to Dr. Aditi Nerurkar, this habit is linked to how our bodies handle long-term stress. Humans are built to handle short, immediate threats, but modern, constant anxiety isn’t something our brains evolved for. Doomscrolling is triggered by our reptilian brain, or limbic system, especially the amygdala, which constantly scans for potential threats to keep us safe. High stress keeps this system on high alert, turning information seeking into a habit that’s difficult to break. The more we search for danger, the more our brain convinces itself it needs to keep looking, creating a loop of attention, stress, and anxiety.
Conclusion
Although yawning in class, wrinkled fingers, a racing heart, or endless scrolling on our phones may seem random or even annoying, they are all signs of the same thing: the human body is always trying to protect us. These responses developed over thousands of years when survival depended on staying alert, reacting quickly, and sensing danger. Even though modern life rarely involves physical threats like predators, our bodies still rely on these ancient systems to navigate stress and uncertainty. By understanding these biological “mysteries,” we can better recognize how our bodies respond to pressure—and maybe even learn to work with our survival mode instead of fighting against it.
This article was written with the assistance of AI.