Why do we feel Butterflies in our Stomach? + more videos | #aumsum #kids #education #children

Butterflies in our stomach are basically caused by our autonomic nervous system or ANS. ANS regulates our involuntary functions like heartbeat, blood flow, digestion, etc. Also, during stressful situations such as when a ferocious animal comes in front of us, a part of ANS called the sympathetic nervous system prepares our body for fight or flight. This means, it redirects blood from other parts of the body to mostly our hands and legs, so that they get sufficient oxygen and nutrients and thus, help us fight or flight.

So then why do we feel butterflies in our stomach?

It is believed that since blood is redirected from the stomach, millions of sensory nerves in it detect a sudden decrease in oxygen, Hence, in response to this, the nerve cells create the feeling of butterflies. Also, because of blood redirection, it is thought that the stomach contracts, thus contributing to the feeling of butterflies.