• Question: what actually happens when you faint

    Asked by emmaleung to Claire, Kate, Matt, Rob, Sam on 21 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Claire Lee

      Claire Lee answered on 21 Jun 2013:

      I think that what happens is that not enough blood (and hence, oxygen) gets to your brain. Like if you stand up too fast after sitting for a while, your blood pressure drops.

      So your body’s survival reaction is to make you collapse flat on the floor to get the blood flowing back to your brain and prevent brain damage

    • Photo: Matthew Pankhurst

      Matthew Pankhurst answered on 22 Jun 2013:

      Yeah it seems a bit odd doesn’t it!? Prevent brain damage by falling over uncontrollably, but it’s true! A half full bottle of water has air near the cap, but if you lie it down the water reaches the top. So, if you loose blood pressure (the pressure needed to overcome gravity and get oxygen to your brain), then your brain can have the blood it needs by evening out where the blood is with respect to gravity. I.e. – lying down. Fainting is like tipping over that bottle – our bodies are trying to keep our brain working.

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