12 Times Your Bodily Functions Take a Union-Mandated Lunch Break
![12 Times Your Bodily Functions Take a Union-Mandated Lunch Break](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/6/1/900561_320x180.jpg)
Ah, the everyday. It’s a never-ending cycle of mundane tasks and routines that can sometimes seem like a prison. But little do we know that even in the most ordinary of situations, our bodies are quietly working away, shutting down parts of themselves to conserve energy and protect us from harm.
From the nasal cycle that takes turns in which nostril we breathe through, to the ABCC11 gene that stops our armpits from smelling bad, our bodies are constantly adapting and adjusting to the world around us. In this list, we’ll explore 12 everyday situations that shut down parts of our body, so we can get a better understanding of how our bodies work and why they do what they do.
So sit back, relax, and get ready to explore the hidden secrets of the everyday. Who knows, you might just learn something new about yourself and the fascinating way your mortal coil functions.
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Smelly armpits: not a problem for some.
![A GENE MUTATION PREVENTS YOUR ARMPITS FROM SMELLING. Millions and millions of people have a special form of the gene ABCC11 which stops their armpits from smelling bad. Apparently, it's because they make less of an amino acid that's good for growth of specific bacteria. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/1/7/899817.jpg)
Hold your breath, get wet.
![CRACKED BEING UNDERWATER SLOWS DOWN YOUR HEART. When you hold your breath and go underwater, your face and nose get wet. A reaction known as the dive reflex causes your heart rate to slow down, to stop your breathing for a bit, and to make your blood vessels narrower.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/2/0/899820.jpg)
Dreams: Not So Fragrant.
![CRACKED SLEEP SHUTS OFF THE SENSE OF SMELL. Studies have shown that when we're in the dreaming phase of sleep (REM) or deep sleep, we can't smell anything. It seems that any smells we experience in our dreams are actually made up by our brains, not from the outside world.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/1/0/899810.jpg)
Dreaming of silence.
![CRACKED SLEEP TURNS OFF SOUND PROCESSING. When we're asleep, our ears still pick up all the noises around us, but our brain doesn't pay much attention to them.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/1/8/899818.jpg)
Nostrils take turns.
![CRACKED USUALLY, ONLY ONE OF YOUR NOSTRILS WORKS. Most of us breathe mainly through one nostril at a time, and this changes throughout the day. It's called the nasal cycle.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/1/6/899816.jpg)
Eyes Wide Awake.
![CRACKED SLEEP PARALYZES YOUR MUSCLES. During REM sleep, two chemical systems in the brain work together to stop your body from moving (except for your eyes, which still move, rapidly).](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/1/1/899811.jpg)
K-Hole of Oblivion.
![HIGH KETAMINE DOSES SHUT OFF THE BRAIN. Taking a lot of ketamine can make your brain shut off, making you completely forget what's going on and feel like you're not in your own body. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/1/2/899812.jpg)
Brain: "Nap time!"
![SWITCHING FOCUS MAKES THE BRAIN BRIEFLY PAUSE. When we look from one thing to another, our brain takes a little break and doesn't take in any information until we focus on something new. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/1/5/899815.jpg)
Alcohol: Memory Eraser.
![DRINKING CAN TURN OFF THE ABILITY TO CREATE MEMORIES. Drinking too much can mess with your hippocampus' ability to form long-term memories. So when you can't remember what you did while drunk, it's not that you forgot - the memories never got made. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/1/3/899813.jpg)
Digestion takes a backseat to exercise.
![EXERCISING POWERS DOWN DIGESTION. When you exercise, your body isn't focusing on digestion. Instead, it's sending more blood to your muscles and lungs, so digestion is put on the back burner. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/1/9/899819.jpg)
Chilly.
![CRACKED COLD CAN HALT BLOOD FLOW IN PARTS OF YOUR BODY. In Raynaud's Syndrome, blood vessels are constricted due to cold exposure, which stops blood from flowing to certain areas of your body. This can lead to numbness and a feeling of, well, coldness.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/0/9/899809.jpg)
Bodies: conserving energy since forever.
![CRACKED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SLOWS DOWN OTHER FUNCTIONS. Our bodies have a limited amount of energy they can use, and they stay within that limit. When we do more physical activity, our bodies adjust, by using less energy in other areas.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/1/4/899814.jpg)