One third of all adults have experienced syncope or fainting at least once in their lives and it is found to be more common in women and children than men. However, some of the biggest fainters around are husbands of women in labor. They tend to faint when they see the baby’s head is crowning as it slides out of the vagina.
Fainting is a loss of consciousness that often occurs when brain is abruptly deprived of oxygen and blood. There are many causes for fainting, but one is strong emotions. The type of fainting triggered by strong emotions is called vasovagal syncope (VVS). VVS is so common that causality assistance officers delivering news of soldier’s death to family members are trained to treat it and nurses keep ammonia inhalants (salts) within arm’s reach during blood draws.
Fainting is not a phenomena exclusive to humans, even though one does not often hear of animals fainting. One theory as to why fainting exists in humans and animals is the “clot production” hypothesis which says that a slow heartbeat or full-on faint helps animals avoid bleeding to death after an attack, since slow-moving blood under low pressure clots better. Some dogs and cats which exhibit a slowed heartbeat as seen in this hypothesis during thanatosis (playing dead/fainting) when they are physically restrained against their will, a frightening situation for many pets, and owls will faint during blood draws.
Astronotus ocellatus, a very affectionate freshwater fish known as an oscar that greets their owners by wagging their tails and known for performing acrobatic flips, and finger nibbling, will “go lifeless” when stressed out by things like cleaning their tanks. Their heartbeat slows because it can be a deadly giveaway underwater where, in the wild, predators can detect a strong heartbeat. Later, they wake up and start playing again.
The process of fainting begins the same way a fight or flight response begins with a high-emotion stressor and surge of adrenaline. Then, instead of the heart beating faster, the it plummets and blood pressure plunges. In a protective response, the brain shuts the system down causing the person to faint. This alarm reaction can help an animal feign death.
Fainting has also been shown to be a protective mechanism in humans as well. In 1941, 21-year-old Nina Morecki was fleeing a concentration camp and her Nazi pursuers in Polish woods when she fainted. After regaining consciousness, she found herself surrounded by dead bodies of less fortunate comrades.
A side effect of near fainting is losing control of bodily functions by vomiting, urinating or defecating which has been known to deter predators. It has been shown to be fairly affective and, consequently, rape prevention educators sometimes instruct women to urinate or vomit if rape is imminent.
People in the past have sometimes been called weaklings for fainting. However, many people who have experienced fainting were in stressful positions such as holding important political offices (like presidents) and were most certainly not weak. Therefore, this reaction that is often stereotyped as a sign of helplessness, should have a revised and more informed view that takes into account fainting’s protective power. Fighting or fleeing may help some of the time, but when these two reactions are not an option, fainting may be the best course of action when it comes to evading death.