11 Things You Didn’t Know You Knew About Your Body
From hiccups to brain freeze, you’re intimately familiar with many strange things your body does. The reason why these things happen, however, is a bit more elusive. Here, we shed light on 11 bodily processes you know well, but might not fully understand. 1. CHARLEY HORSES ARE MUSCLE SPASMS. Muscle cramps are common while exercising, but they can also strike when you least expect it (like in the middle of the night). Charley horses, which can occur in almost any muscle but are most common in the legs, are actually muscle spasms. They occur when your muscles suddenly tighten and don’t release for several minutes. These spasms can happen for any number of reasons, including poor circulation, overexertion, insufficient stretching, dehydration, or potassium deficiency. 2. ITCHINESS COMES FROM YOUR BRAIN. It’s long been believed that humans experience itchiness so that we can keep harmful irritants—like insects—at bay (when we scratch an itch, it makes that pesky pest leave our skin). ...