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Imagine getting a Valentine’s Day card from your secret crush. They hand it to you, give you a smile and walk away. What do you think your face looks like during this scene? Is your face turning red? That is called blushing. So what is blushing and why do we do it? For help, we turn to our friends at Time.com.
Blushing is when your face, mostly your cheeks, turn pink or red when you're embarrassed or self-conscious. These emotions cause your muscles in your face to relax and veins to widen which allows blood to collect. This causes the red appearance in your cheeks.
So in short, being nervous or embarrassed can make the veins in your face hold more blood and make your face turn red. People with lighter skin will have more noticeable blushing than those with darker-colored skin.
But why?
Not all humans blush and those who do, blush to varying degrees. However, no other species of animal on Earth blushes. This leads many scientists to think that there is an evolutionary reason for why we blush.
Blushing is a form of non-verbal communication, that is, a way to communicate without using words. Lots of animals do this. For instance, dogs will wag their tails or show their teeth to display different feelings. Early human ancestors may have blushed as a way of showing remorse when they made a mistake or broke some community rule.
Blushing is a way of saying “I’m embarrassed” to those around you without words. Just as shivering is a way of saying “I’m cold” without actually saying it.
Looking for more Never Stop Asking "Why?" questions? Catch up on all of the past "Why's" on the blog!
