Did you know that temperature fluctuations at night are completely normal? So, if you're finding that you have a high body temperature that's disturbing your sleep, know that you're not alone. In fact, it's part of your body's circadian rhythm or internal clock, helping to control your sleep cycle.
But the reality is that a "normal" body temperature can fall within a wide range, from 97 F to 99 F. It's usually lower in the morning and goes up during the day. It peaks in the late afternoon or evening, sometimes by as much as 1 or 2 degrees. If you're healthy, you don't need to take your temperature regularly.
It tends to be lower in the morning and higher in the evening. Most healthcare providers consider a fever to be 100.4°F (38°C) or higher. High fevers may bring on seizures or confusion in children. It's not how high the temperature is, but how fast the temperature goes up that causes a seizure.
The nadir in body temperature usually occurs at about 4 a.m. and the peak at about 6 p.m. This circadian rhythm is quite constant for an individual and is not disturbed by periods of fever or hypothermia.
Your body's normal temperature is between 36 and 36.8 degrees Celsius. A high temperature or fever, for most people, is when your body temperature is 38 degrees Celsius or higher. This can be a sign that you are unwell. It usually means you have an infection such as a cold.
Your Temperature Naturally Fluctuates
On average, an individual's core body temperature varies from 36.5–37.5 °C (97.7–99.5 °F) over the course of a day. Your body temperature doesn't remain constant, however, it fluctuates according to your circadian rhythm.
Can stress and anxiety raise your body temperature? Yes. In some rare cases, anxiety symptoms may lead to a rise in body temperature. This is sometimes referred to as psychogenic fever, or a fever caused by psychological reasons.
Fever is the temporary increase in the body's temperature in response to a disease or illness. A child has a fever when the temperature is at or above one of these levels: 100.4°F (38°C) measured in the bottom (rectally) 99.5°F (37.5°C) measured in the mouth (orally)
A high temperature is usually considered to be 38C or above. This is sometimes called a fever.
Feeling feverish or hot may be one of the first signs of having a fever. However, it's also possible to feel feverish but not be running an actual temperature. Underlying medical conditions, hormone fluctuations, and lifestyle may all contribute to these feelings.
The daily maximum temperature, or high, describes how warm you can expect the air to be, usually from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The daily minimum temperature, or low, tells how much the air is expected to cool, usually overnight from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
And if you check your temperature with a thermometer, you will see that it's higher in the late afternoon and evening than first thing in the morning when you rise, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The longer the sun is out, the warmer the air becomes. Temperatures will continue to climb as long as Earth is receiving more incoming heat than it is radiating back into space. The re-radiation happens later in the day, making the hottest part of the day between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. during the summer.