When standing or sitting, why is it nearly impossible for us to remain completely still if we try?

Question

When we try to be completely still, we either have a little twitch or our head sways and we just can’t keep still, even if we put our minds to it?

In: Biology

Answer 1

You’re not perfectly balanced. From a mechanical standpoint, you’re basically always falling over and correcting that.

You have a lot of stabilizer muscles whose job is exactly what it sounds like. To dampen and stabilize your movements whether they are voluntary movements like reaching out for something or subconscious ones like keeping yourself balanced.

For instance, when you walk, you’re essentially letting yourself fall forwards with every step and then you catch yourself at the bottom of your step. When you’re standing still, it’s no different. Your body is constantly toppling over in one direction or the other but you are dynamically stable, you make tiny corrections constantly to stay upright.