Some people naturally tend to feel colder than others without any discernible cause. However, cold intolerance can also indicate an underlying medical condition, such as hypothyroidism, anemia, or peripheral artery disease.
Medical conditions
While it's normal for some to feel hot while others are cold if the feelings are extreme it could be a sign of a medical condition or poor health. Conditions such as anaemia, malnutrition, infection, weight issues, hypothyroidism, diabetes or Raynaud's disease.
Low iron levels are one of the most common reasons for chronic coldness. That's because iron helps red blood cells carry oxygen throughout your body, so it's able to produce heat, Dr. Phillips explained.
Insufficient insulation. Not sufficient clothing or heat retention. Poor circulation. Poor shelter.
An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).
Feeling cold is a common symptom. A simple blood test for TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) can determine if you have this problem.
Why am I always cold and tired? If any of these symptoms sound familiar, you may be dealing with a very common blood disorder called anemia. It affects more than 3 million Americans and over 1.6 billion people worldwide – and it's much more common in women and young children than in men.
Lack of vitamin B12 and iron deficiency can cause anemia and lead you to feel cold. Good sources of B12 are chicken, eggs and fish, and people with iron deficiency may want to seek out poultry, pork, fish, peas, soybeans, chickpeas and dark green leafy vegetables.
Hypothyroidism
“This is one of the most common reasons people always feel cold,” Abokede said. “The thyroid drives metabolism. With a low-functioning thyroid gland, metabolism is slowed and the body can't generate an adequate amount of heat to maintain core body temperature.”
Thin people's subcutaneous layer lacks adipose tissue, but fat people's subcutaneous layer contains adipose tissue, which functions as an insulator and keeps the body warm. As a result, thin people feel colder than fat people.
Can low vitamin D cause you to feel cold? Instead, vitamin D deficiencies typically result in rickets and other bone deficiencies. [10] While these conditions can lead to feelings of coldness, they don't seem to play as direct a role in thermoregulation as the B vitamins.
Sleep deprivation may disrupt the body's ability to regulate body temperature. When you are lacking sleep, do you ever notice how hard it is to feel warm the next day? A study done several years ago found that not getting enough sleep may make you feel cold all over and have other related effects.
Increased cold sensitivity is a normal part of aging, but it can also be a sign of a health problem. Older adults have a thinner layer of fat under the skin, making them more susceptible to cold. Conditions like diabetes, peripheral artery disease and kidney disease can restrict blood flow and lower body temperature.
Poor blood circulation
Whether it's a decreased circulation or something that's blocking your circulation, poor blood flow is another potential cause of your chilly disposition. “People with a decreased circulation to their extremities are definitely going to feel cold, especially in their hands and feet,” says Dr.
When we're anxious, our bodies go into fight, flight, or freeze response to regulate our temperature, which may result in chills. Chills affect us all at different points in our lives. Often, this is our body's response to being cold. But you might not know that chills can also be a symptom of anxiety.
Keep as active as possible to boost your circulation. Move around at least once an hour and avoid sitting still for long periods. Even light exercise will help keep you warm. When you do sit down, put your feet up as it's coldest nearest the ground.
Low blood pressure
If your blood pressure gets too low, your body directs blood away from your extremities and toward the critical organs in your core. This can leave hands and feet feeling cold.
Estrogen can lower women's body temperature, cause heat to dissipate and slow blood flow to the hands and feet, making them more sensitive to cold. And depending on the phase of your menstrual cycle and varying hormone levels, research, like this Polish study, shows the female body can change how it regulates heat.
Cold, clammy skin is usually from being out in the cold for too long, though some people may be extra sensitive to cold, or you may have a health condition like hypothyroidism, Raynaud's syndrome, low blood sugar, or a blocked artery.
However, there is some science behind why you get cold at night even when your room temperature isn't. As bedtime approaches, your core body temperature naturally begins to drop. It drops a little more after you fall asleep. It is part of your natural wake-sleep cycle or circadian rhythm.
Signs and symptoms of sleep deprivation
Feel tired, irritable, and fatigued during the day; yawn frequently. Have difficulty focusing or remembering things. Feel less interested in sex. Find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning, need an alarm clock to wake up on time, or repeatedly hit the snooze button.