4. They might tap their feet, wipe their brow, or fidget with their hands

Seasoned liars and sociopaths are hard to detect as they are at ease when deceiving others, but for the vast majority of people, lying triggers a heightened stress response in their bodies. They are worried about being caught or feel guilty about being less than truthful, and this leads to an increased heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure. To relieve this discomfort, liars will often engage in physically pacifying gestures or fidgeting, turning to actions such as wiping their brow, rubbing their hands, or tapping their feet. Another sign of lying is scratching: a chemical reaction occurs when someone tells a lie, causing them to itch, so, if a person suddenly starts scratching their face or some other body part, it’s a good indication they are lying.

These and other fidgety movements are good to watch out for if you’re trying to uncover the truth of a person’s words.