Why Do People Get Nervous Before Big Events?

People get nervous before big events because their brain thinks something important is about to happen, and it gets ready for action. Nervousness is like a little alarm clock ringing in your head, it helps you stay alert and focused. Imagine it's the morning of a big game: your body might feel like it’s running away from a lion, even though there's no lion around.

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Examples

  1. A kid gets butterflies in their stomach before a big game.
  2. You feel your heart race when it's time to give a presentation.
  3. Your hands shake before your first date.

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Categories: Psychology · anxiety· stress· neuroscience· psychology · Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.