Question: Why does your heart beat faster when you exercise?

Cristina Villa del Campo answered on 19 Nov 2015:

Hi 823hrtd48,

Thanks for your question!
Our heart is very efficient at getting oxygen and nutrients to every cell. When we exercise our muscles start needing more oxygen to be able to move to the heart senses that and the internal pacemaker we have makes it pump faster to make sure the muscles get enough oxygen. It is very interesting because the same thing happens when we get nervous! The body doesn’t understand the difference and when we are nervous it prepares to run because it feels like it is a threat so it starts pumping away!