Feeling Cold All the Time

Ever wondered why some people wrap themselves up in layers of clothing, while others may be comfortable wearing light clothes? Why do people have different reactions to the same environmental stimulus? If you often feel forced to don extra clothing even when the weather is pleasant, go through this article to find out why you might be feeling cold all the time.

Why Do Some People Always Feel Cold?

Why am I always cold? Have you asked yourself this question a number of times, and failed to find a reasonable answer? Well, the human body does employ various mechanisms to stabilize the core body temperature, thereby protecting itself from harsh weather. However, the human body's response or sensitivity towards cold might vary from person to person. In fact, a lot depends on one's physical health. It's possible that an underlying medical condition may have been the contributory factor for one's cold intolerance. Given below are some of the conditions that may alter one's response to cold.

Nutritional Deficiencies: Unhealthy dietary habits can certainly affect the body's response to cold. Since food is the source of energy, whenever we skip a meal the body tries to conserve the energy. If a person often skips his/her meals very often, it may affect the body's ability to keep itself warm in the long run. People who have poor dietary habits may develop an increased sensitivity to cold due to nutritional deficiencies. So make the necessary dietary modifications and make the right lifestyle choices in future.

Weight Loss: Are you underweight? If yes, then there is a greater likelihood of you experiencing the sensation of cold more often. Muscle mass and layers of fat are greatly responsible for keeping us warm and cozy. While larger muscle mass will generate more heat, fat will help in retaining the body heat. Thus people who have lost a lot of weight recently may experience an increased sensitivity to cold.

Hypothyroidism: As mentioned earlier, increased sensitivity to cold may be triggered due to an underlying medical condition. Hypothyroidism is one such condition that is mainly responsible for making one more sensitive to cold. One is diagnosed with this condition when the thyroid gland is unable to secrete the required amounts of thyroid hormones. Since thyroid hormones play a vital role in temperature regulation, low levels of thyroid hormones would create cold intolerance.

Anemia: Anemia is a medical condition which is characterized by a decrease in the number of healthy red blood cells in the body. These red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen to the tissues. Increased flow of blood helps the body stay warm. Anemia is a medical condition in which the red blood cells are destroyed faster than they can be replaced. When blood circulation in the extremities is adversely affected, one may complain of having cold feet and hands most of the time.

Raynaud's Disease: Women between the age of 20 and 40 are prone to Raynaud's disease. This is a medical condition that can be triggered by cold weather or emotional stress. During an attack, the patient's blood vessels may become constricted, thereby affecting the blood circulation adversely. One of the most common symptoms of Raynaud's disease is a tingling sensation in fingers and toes. People who suffer from this condition react to the slightest change in temperature.

Hormonal Problems: Hormonal imbalances can also be responsible for the increased sensitivity to cold temperatures. In case of women, fluctuation in the levels of estrogen might play a great role. Women who are going through menopause often complain of cold flashes due to hormonal changes.

Aging: The inevitable process of aging brings about a lot of changes in the body. This could be the reason why old people often complain about feeling cold. Aging can be accompanied with weakened immunity that can increase the sensitivity of people towards cold. The mechanisms that the body usually employs to stay warm may get affected due to poor health.

After going through this article, you would have got a basic idea on why some people may not feel warm enough and may experience the sensation of cold more often than others. While wrapping yourself up in layers of clothing may help to insulate the body heat to some extent, it would be better to find a permanent solution to this problem. It would be best to have a thorough medical checkup to look for the underlying cause of sensitivity to cold. Drug therapy coupled with dietary modification and lifestyle-related changes would help in treating nutritional deficiencies, anemia, hormonal imbalance, hypothyroidism and other health problems. Those who are underweight would experience a change in their body's reaction to cold, if they put on some weight.