Humans weren't designed to ride on roller coasters. That's not to say we shouldn't, just that they didn't exist when the fundamentals of human physiology were being worked out. What did exist were a lot of dangerous wild animals, and other life-threatening situations that required the evolution of specific bodily functions to survive. Functions like hormones.

When you find yourself in a stressful situation, be it almost hitting a deer on the highway, jumping in your seat while watching a horror movie, getting an unexpected e-mail from your boss, or slowly climbing a steep track while strapped into a roller coaster seat, your body reacts by releasing a cocktail of hormones into your bloodstream. This release isn't conscious, but happens automatically in response to potential threats. These hormones include adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol, and between them, they stimulate a series of "valuable" physical reactions. Adrenaline and norepinephrine are released almost immediately after you become aware of the threat, and together they raise your heart rate, concentrate blood flow towards muscles, lungs, and the brain, give you a boost of energy, and make you more alert and focused. Cortisol arrives a bit more slowly, and helps regulate body functions while under stress.

This is very useful if you need a quick burst of speed and strength to escape the sudden appearance of a large predator, but less valuable when facing a modern "threat," like a tight deadline. But on a roller coaster, it can actually benefit your experience, since being alert and awake can only help you get the most out of the being flung all over the sky. For many people, the sudden flood of these hormones feels exciting, making them "feel more alive" and alert than is possible during their day-to-day life, and that's not really surprising. There's nothing like a brush with death to make you feel happy to be alive, and in the absence of man-eating tigers, a roller coaster will just have to do.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qL7Up56eZpOkunCAlHBvaWeimq6tuNhmn5qooJq7tHnBqJuyZaKkua2x0WaaqJmjqbKzew%3D%3D