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It’s that time of year again-when the weather turns cold and we like to snuggle in front of a fireplace with a hot cup of cocoa. But, have you ever noticed that when it is cold outside sometimes the hairs on your arms stand up and you get little bumps all over. But then when you go inside the little bumps dissappear. These little bumps are called goose bumps…but do you know what is actually happening with your body when you get these bumps?

When you’re cold, your arrector muscles pull your hair up, and your blood vessels and ducts to your sweat glands get small to conserve heat. Millions of years ago, humans probably had more hair on their bodies then they do now, so their hair standing on end acted as insulation. We don’t have enough hair on our bodies to keep us warm anymore, but the little muscles at the end of each hair are still there and still work.