Whether you’re watching a horror film, or exposed to a sudden loud noise, all of us have jumped at some point when scared. The body’s response to getting startled is all too familiar: tense muscles, a racing heartbeat and a twitching neck, among others. But there’s still a lot of mystery behind the phenomenon. 

Jolting is actually a natural and adaptive defensive response that helps our bodies avoid what it perceives as an immediate threat. How often it happens and how intense the response is depends on the context. The more negative or threatening the situation seems, the stronger the reaction.

What explains why some people seem to get startled more than others? Why do we sometimes jump as we're falling asleep? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

In partnership with upday UK.

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