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Oct
Always cold? Here’s why – and what you can do about it
Are you the same person who is always cold? While others are still outside without a coat, you are already looking for a scarf. Whether you are working at home, walking or riding your bike – you are the one with cold hands, cold feet and goose bumps at room temperature.
There’s usually nothing crazy about it, but there are a surprising number of reasons why some people get cold faster than others. And fortunately: you can often do something about it.
1. Why your hands and feet always get cold first
Nature protects your organs. As soon as it cools, your body draws the blood away from your extremities – hands, feet, nose. This keeps the heat in your torso.
In some people, the nervous system overreacts. It constricts blood vessels even with small changes in temperature or even slight stress. This is why sensitive or easily stressed people can get cold fingers in a warm room: their body thinks it needs to fight cold.
Small movements already help – move your toes or twist your wrists to stimulate circulation.
2. Too little muscle mass = too little heat
Muscles are your natural heating elements. The more muscle mass you have, the more heat your body produces – even when you are sitting still. So people with a slim build or a sedentary job are more likely to be cold.
Thinner skin (for example, in women or as you age) also plays a role. There is then less fat between the outside air and your blood vessels, so you lose heat faster. Even a small breeze or cold floor can cause a shiver.
Exercise helps: every walk, bike ride or short stretch moment provides a boost in blood flow as well as heat production.
3. Women are really colder than men
It’s no myth: women are more likely to be cold. Their skin temperature is slightly lower on average, especially in the hands and feet. This is due to hormonal fluctuations and the influence of estrogen, which makes blood vessels narrower.
During menstruation or menopause, blood circulates more slowly in the limbs, so cold hits more quickly. In addition, women often have low but still “normal” iron and B12 levels. This does not cause an official deficiency, but it does cause less oxygen – and thus heat – to be transported.
The result: cold hands, cold feet, and sometimes even a cold nose – even in the house.
4. Cold from within: nutrition, iron and your internal thermostat
Staying warm starts from the inside out. Those who skip meals or eat too little imperceptibly lower their body temperature: there is less energy to produce heat.
A second factor is your hypothalamus, the “thermostat” in your brain. In some people, it is tuned more sensitively and reacts too early to small drops in temperature. Their body signals “cold!” even before the temperature really drops – which is why some people are always cold, even with a warm hot water bottle on their lap.
Choose warm, nutritious foods with protein, iron and healthy fats. And be careful with caffeine or alcohol: they make you feel warm for a moment, but then actually make you cool down faster.
5. Stress: cold that starts in your head
When stressed, your body produces adrenaline. This constricts blood vessels and temporarily reduces blood flow to your hands and feet. People with sensitive nervous systems react more strongly to this – they literally stiffen from the cold.
A few minutes of deep breathing or relaxation can make all the difference. When you calm down, your blood vessels open again and the heat returns naturally.
6. The clothing mistake almost everyone makes
It’s not the thickness of your clothing that counts, but the build-up in layers. If you put on one thick sweater, you are retaining moisture – which actually causes you to cool down faster.
The golden rule:
- Underlayer – breathable and moisture-wicking (thermal clothing)
- Mid layer – insulating (wool or fleece)
- Outer layer – wind and waterproof
This allows moisture to escape, but keeps heat in. Also see exactly how heated clothing regulates temperature.
Being cold quickly is not just a matter of thick socks or a hot water bottle. It tells you something about how your body responds to stress, nutrition, hormones and blood flow.
With a few adjustments, from exercising more to eating better to dressing smartly, you can help your body heat itself better. And don’t succeed with thick socks and tea? Then technology is your best friend – heated clothing is the modern version of a warm blanket.
