What Blushing Actually Reveals About Your Nervous System

Everyone blushes. At least, virtually everyone has the capacity to blush, though some people may not experience the flush of red as much as others. People with especially fair complexions are particularly susceptible to going beet red when they're embarrassed, but the phenomenon occurs among those with darker skin tones, too — it's just less noticeable. In fact, blushing is part of the human experience. Charles Darwin called it, "the most human of all expressions," and, fittingly, it does indeed have its origins in our species' evolution.

Blushing is a side effect of the fight-or-flight response. When we suddenly feel stressed, our brains are hardwired to prepare for action by releasing adrenaline throughout the body. This sudden rush of hormones triggers neurotransmitters that signal the cardiovascular system to expand its blood vessels and capillaries and pump freshly oxygenated blood to the muscles. Simultaneously, the heart starts pumping faster, and blood pressure shoots up. Such a response is a great adaptation for life in the wild, where the need to stand your ground or start fleeing in the opposite direction could save your life.

But in modern society, the fight-or-flight response isn't very helpful. Instead of pumping our legs in a sprint, the freshly oxygenated blood simply flashes red in our faces and necks, where capillaries are closer to the surface of the skin and easier to notice. This explains why it's obvious when someone with pale skin blushes, while it's harder to tell when someone with more pigmentation in their skin is blushing. But even though people with melanin-rich skin don't turn beet-red when they blush, their nervous systems still respond to embarrassing situations with the same heightened blood flow, regardless of skin color.

You don't need someone to tell you your face is red to know when you're blushing. Time seems to slow down, your cheeks feel warm, your heart starts racing, and you break into a sweat; it's easy to feel that your face is flushed. Unfortunately, for many people, blushing can set into motion a vicious cycle. It essentially displays your emotions for all to see, which can often heighten the feelings of stress and makes blushing even worse. In other words, blushing begets blushing.

Some researchers believe that blushing actually serves an evolutionary purpose, and may be an adaptation for connecting with social groups. Studies have shown that people interpret those who blush as more trustworthy, and apologies delivered by those with flushed cheeks are considered more sincere. This is likely due to the fact that emotional transparency makes a person easier to empathize with, and it could serve to prevent dishonesty within a social group. Researchers suggest that if people flush red with anger when caught in a lie, observers are more apt to forgive them than if the they had remained cold and defensive.

There are ways to overcome our nervous system's insistence on making embarrassing situations worse. Admitting to your slip-up, taking deep breaths, practicing acceptance, and smiling through the embarrassment can all help to reduce the stress at the source. For people suffering from social anxiety due to blushing, experts recommend cognitive behavioral therapy. In rare cases, some people with overreactive sympathetic nervous systems may benefit from medication or surgery. Nonetheless, blushing is an involuntary side effect of an emotional social event, so addressing the reason why your brain kicked into fight-or-flight is the only way to overcome it.