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# 7 Ways People Can Tell You're Nervous From Your Body Language

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by 

[Samantha Lee, Shana Lebowitz / Business Insider](https://time.com/author/business-insider/)


## Samantha Lee, Shana Lebowitz / Business Insider


Oct 22, 2015 4:10 PM UTC

by 

[Samantha Lee, Shana Lebowitz / Business Insider](https://time.com/author/business-insider/)


## Samantha Lee, Shana Lebowitz / Business Insider


Oct 22, 2015 4:10 PM UTC

The problem with trying to conceal anxiety — in any situation — is that we’ve evolved to do exactly the opposite.

According to Joe Navarro, a former FBI agent and the author of [_What Every BODY is saying_](http://www.amazon.com/What-Every-BODY-Saying-Speed-Reading/dp/0061438294?tag=bisafetynet-20), we’re hardwired to display anxiety and to recognize it in others as well. Back in our caveman days, this was a means of quickly recognizing danger.

Here are some of the most common universal, nonverbal expressions of nervousness that are pretty hard to control.

_This_ [_article_](http://www.businessinsider.com/7-ways-your-body-betrays-you-when-youre-nervous-2015-9) _originally appeared on_ [_Business Insider_](http://www.businessinsider.com)

_More from Business Insider:_

* [7 rules for making a great first impression](http://www.businessinsider.com/make-good-first-impression-tips-body-language-2015-9)
* [Body language mistakes successful people never make](http://www.businessinsider.com/body-language-mistakes-successful-people-never-make-2015-8)
* [6 body language secrets of powerful people](http://www.businessinsider.com/6-body-language-secrets-of-powerful-people-2015-7)
* [6 experts on what you should know about body language at work](http://www.businessinsider.com/6-experts-on-what-you-should-know-about-body-language-at-work-2015-8)
* [10 proven tactics for reading people’s body language](http://www.businessinsider.com/10-tactics-for-reading-peoples-body-language-2015-5)

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