Uncommon Knowledge

Uncommon Knowledge: Does tickling have to tickle?

June 16, 2015

Shower Squids
Behold, super ticklish people of the world! There is hope! When the nerve endings in your skin are stimulated by a light, ticklish touch, they send a signal to the brain, stimulating the somatosensory cortex, the area that analyzes touch, and the anterior cingulated cortex, the area that creates pleasurable feelings. Most adults find tickling downright unpleasant, but the laughter is said to be a reaction to the activation of the hypothalamus during tickling, the part of the brain that regulates fight or flight responses. This means that we could be laughing as a way to show submission to our tickle attacker and thus hopefully reduce the duration of the tickle. You can’t tickle yourself because the brain anticipates it—and there, ticklish ones, is the source of your salvation. To become less ticklish, simply place your hand on top of the tickler’s. You trick your brain into thinking it’s you and the tickle no longer has power over you. Rejoice! The ticklee becomes the tickler…

Shower Squids | $36.00

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