• Question: How do we feel when it is hot and cold?

    Asked by Melon to Sarah, Claire, Angela on 19 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Angela Stokes

      Angela Stokes answered on 19 Nov 2014:

      Hi Melon

      If you are asking how we adjust to diffent temperatures the answer is below, if this is not what you want to know please ask more in the comment section!

      From hot to cold:
      If the loss of heat from your body is greater than heat production, your body temperature will fall. In order to prevent this, your blood is directed away from your skin, and more to the central part of your body to maintain the temperature of those parts, your skin becomes cool as a result of this, you get goose bumps, which increases the insulation capacity of your skin, you shiver which activates the muscles in order to produce additional heat, you adjust your behaviour by moving to a warmer space or put on a sweater to preserve heat, or try and generate heat by stamping your feet and rubbing your hands, which actually draws the warm blood back from the bodys core and actually makes you colder in the long run.

      From cold to hot
      When you move from a cold to a hot environment, your body temperature will increase as more blood is directed to your skin, which is warmed as a result, your heart rate and pulse rate increases and you may start to sweat which cools you down and you may reduce your activity level. this is why we sometimes feel lazy on a really hot day!

    • Photo: Sarah Harris

      Sarah Harris answered on 19 Nov 2014:

      To add to Angela’s fab answer – there are receptors in your body that react to temperature, changing their signalling pattern and in turn making us feel hot or cold. So if the temperature drops, the receptors that detect the cold will start signalling more, which eventually leads to shivering and heat-seeking behaviours. Something I find pretty cool is that certain foods activate these receptors too – which is why mints can make you feel cold!

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