10 Reasons Why You Always Feel So Darn Cold!

Photo credit: bigstock.com

Photo credit: bigstock.com

Are you one of those people? You know the kind: they sleep under 5 comforters and have flannel sheets in winter, and sleep with 3 comforters in the middle of summer. They carry a sweater with them even on the hottest days, in case someone turns on the air conditioner. Everyone else in a room can be wearing short sleeves, and they are wearing their coat, clutching a cup of hot coffee to warm up their hands.

We all know people like this (perhaps you are one of them) but what makes them feel cold, even when the room is 70 degrees? Of course, there are numerous answers for this, and we will take a look at them.

Our body works in numerous ways to regulate its temperature. In fact, even when you are sitting perfectly still, your muscles produce about 25 percent of your body’s temperature. This would explain why the more muscle you have, the warmer you feel. More muscle equals more body heat. Your internal organs are also another major source of heat. Since they are continually working, they create heat. In fact, your liver makes up another 20 percent or so of your body heat.

All of this temperature regulation is being directed by your brain. One of the most important thermostats your body has is the hypothalamus, located at the base of the brain. When you feel hot, they hypothalamus opens up the blood vessels close the skin to release heat and you start sweating. When you feel cold, it constricts the blood vessels to conserve heat, making your nose, hands, and toes feel extremely cold.

There are plenty of reasons why, so let’s take a look at them and maybe you can identify which one fits you.

 

1. Anemia

When you are anemic, you do not have enough red blood cells. Sometimes this is due to a lack of iron in the diet, but there are plenty of other reasons. If you have pale skin, feel weak, dizzy, or sometimes feel short of breath in addition to feeling cold most of the time, your doctor can do a simple blood test, which will tell him whether you are anemic.

 

2.  Your Happiness is Like Climate Control

File this under ‘strange but true.’ Even when the temperature is normal, some people will feel cold based on their emotional state. People who are grieving, or those who are feeling alone, depressed, isolated, or feeling stuck in an unpleasant situation can feel perpetually cold. You know that old saying “Cold hands, warm heart”? Perhaps it should read “Cold hands, cold heart.” When we are feeling emotionally cold inside, it translates to the outside as well.

 

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 14 Things to Get Rid of If you Want to be Happy

 

3. You Can be Too Thin

That old saying, that you can never be too rich or too thin? Well, the last part is definitely not true! Think of the body fat as a blanket around your body. The less fat you have as a cover, the less protection you will have from cold. The thinner you are, the quicker your body will lose heat. Those who have low muscle mass also tend to feel colder because their muscles offer more protection from the cold than fat does. This is one reason why many elderly people always feel cold, as we lose muscle mass as we grow older.

Continue to Page 2

PrevPage: 1 of 3Next
//