As experts warn that a polar blast is predicted to hit the UK this week have you ever wondered why some people are prone to feeling the cold more than others?
With 1.5k recent searches for “Why do I feel cold all the time?”, Dr Natasha Fernando has revealed that the answer lies in your hormones.
Dr Natasha, a practicing GP and Medical Director of home blood testing service Medichecks says that not everyone feels the cold equally.
“Hormones play a crucial role in regulating bodily functions, and temperature sensitivity is no exception,” she reveals.
“The key hormones that influence our sensitivity to cold weather are oestrogen, progesterone, cortisol, testosterone, and your thyroid hormones (thyroxine and triiodothyronine).
People are often shocked when they’re wrapped up and still feeling freezing, yet they see someone happily wandering about in shorts.
“It’s all dependent on how our bodies individually respond to temperature changes, and some of this may be influenced by hormonal fluctuations,” Dr Natasha reveals.
Super stressed, super cold
“Cortisol is a stress hormone produced by the adrenal glands, and it plays a role in metabolism and energy production.
Chronic stress can cause an imbalance in cortisol, which can affect the body’s ability to regulate temperature,” Dr Natasha warns. “This can lead to a heightened sense of feeling cold.”
Ladies, it’s all in your cycle
“Throughout your menstrual cycle there are fluctuations in sex hormones,” shares Dr Natasha. “Oestrogen is the primary female sex hormone and can be an influence on body temperature.
Throughout your cycle, fluctuations in oestrogen can cause shifts in temperature regulation, therefore affecting your perception of the cold weather.
Oestrogen can also cause blood vessels to dilate allowing more heat to escape through the skin. Just before ovulation oestrogen levels are high which can increase a woman’s sensitivity to cold.
“For women going through menopause, lower oestrogen levels can affect temperature regulation of the hypothalamus causing hot and cold flushes.
Over time, post menopause low oestrogen levels can reduce blood vessel elasticity, which can lead to poor circulation, causing cold hands and feet.”
Another sex hormone, progesterone, also affects body temperature Dr Natasha reveals. “After ovulation, progesterone levels rise, and this can cause a slight increase in core body temperature.
Women may find that throughout this section of their cycle they feel warmer and are less sensitive to cold.
“On the other side of this, progesterone levels lower before menstruation, which may make women feel colder.”
Muscle up to heat up
“Testosterone is a hormone that helps to regulate metabolism and muscle mass. Higher muscle mass increases heat production.
Men typically have higher testosterone, which helps them to gain muscle mass, meaning they may feel less sensitive to the cold.
Investigate your thyroid
“The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate metabolism. If you have a higher metabolic rate, your body will produce more heat and make you feel less sensitive to cold, icy weather.
“Hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone levels) slows down your metabolism, which can lead to a reduced ability to generate heat. Often, this will make you feel colder than usual.”
On the opposite side, Dr Natasha shares that Hyperthyroidism (high thyroid levels) can increase heat production, therefore making you feel warmer and less sensitive to the polar blast.
“If you are concerned that you have been feeling unusually colder or hotter than others in the room, you may wish to check your hormones,” Dr Natasha advises.
“A home blood test can show you a detailed analysis of what’s going on inside your body.”