Why You Get Cold When You Are Tired: The Science Of The Real Reason

When you’re tired, your body’s circulation slows down and your muscles tense to conserve energy. Your brain signals your blood vessels to constrict and blood flow to your extremities decreases. This results in the accumulation of cold air next to the skin, causing you to feel cold even though you might be at a comfortable temperature. We often think that it has something to do with how our bodies work, but there is actually a scientific reason for why this happens. The science behind why we get cold when we are tired can help us understand how to avoid feeling chilly when we are really well-rested.

Why Do You Get Cold When You Are Tired?

The science behind why we get cold when we are tired can help us understand how to avoid feeling chilly when we are really well-rested.

Vasoconstriction: When you’re tired, your blood vessels constrict. This means that the blood vessel walls in your skin become tighter, making it harder for the blood to flow. This results in less oxygen and nutrients getting to your extremities and also decreases heat production.

What Is The Science Behind Why We Get Cold When We Are Tired?

When you are tired, your body’s circulation slows down and your muscles tense to conserve energy. Your brain signals your blood vessels to constrict and blood flow to your extremities decreases. This results in the accumulation of cold air next to the skin, causing you to feel cold even though you might be at a comfortable temperature.

This is due to the following:

• The body’s production of heat is regulated by its core temperature – which regulates the rate of metabolism – and its surface temperature – which regulates heat loss and heat gain. When we are active, our core temperature increases and our surface temperature decreases, causing our body’s heat production rate to increase. As we become fatigued or inactive, both core and surface temperatures decrease, causing our body’s metabolism rate to decrease. In this state, it is difficult for the body to “keep up” with increasing metabolic demands caused by activity levels that are too high or too low. The result is a drop in core temperature and a drop in metabolic rate.
• The body’s heat production rate is also regulated by the number of red blood cells in our circulation – which regulate blood flow (heat loss) – and the amount of oxygen in our blood – which regulates heat production. When we are active, our circulation increases and we lose more heat to the environment than we gain from it, causing our red blood cell count to increase. As we become fatigued or inactive, both circulation and oxygen levels decrease, causing our body’s heat production rate to decrease. In this state, it is difficult for the body to “keep up” with heat production demands caused by activity levels that are too high or too low. The result is a drop in core temperature and metabolic rate
• When you are tired, your muscles tense because they can’t move as freely as they normally would when you’re active or well-rested. This decreases blood flow to your muscles and causes them to cool down.
• When you are tired, your brain signals your blood vessels to constrict, causing them to lose heat by convection (through their surfaces) and radiation (through their interiors). This decreases blood flow to the skin and causes the skin to cool down.
• When you are tired, your body’s metabolism slows down, causing the rate of cellular activity to decrease. The decrease in cellular activity causes the production of heat by our muscles and organs to slow down as well, which results in a drop in core temperature and metabolic rate.

How does your body work to make you feel cold when you are tired?

1. When you are tired, your muscles and organs do not have enough blood flow to supply them with oxygen and nutrients, which causes them to cool down and the skin on their surfaces to become cooler than the surrounding air. This causes the skin on their surfaces to lose heat through convection (through their surfaces) and radiation (through their interiors). Heat loss from the skin is referred to as “insensible” heat loss because it does not require any input of energy from the body’s muscles or organs. The loss of insensible heat can be significant during exercise in hot environments when we have no choice but to exercise in high temperatures. In this case, it can lead us into a cycle of fatigue by sapping our energy reserves without increasing our core temperature.
2. When you are tired, your brain signals your blood vessels to constrict, causing them to lose heat by convection (through their surfaces) and radiation (through their interiors). This decreases blood flow to the skin and increases blood flow to the internal organs, which causes them to lose heat via conduction (through their interiors) and radiation (through their surfaces). Heat loss from the brain is referred to as “radiant” heat loss because it requires no input of energy from the body’s muscles or organs.
3. When you are tired, your body’s ability to “keep up” with heat production demands caused by activity levels that are too high or too low is impaired, which causes a drop in core temperature and metabolic rate. This causes your muscles and organs to lose heat via conduction (through their interiors) and radiation (through their surfaces). Because our ability to tolerate exercise in hot environments is reduced, we can develop heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
4. When you are tired, your body’s ability to “keep up” with heat loss demands caused by activity levels that are too high or too low is impaired, which causes a drop in core temperature and metabolic rate. This causes your muscles and organs to lose heat via radiation (through their interiors). Because our ability to tolerate exercise in hot environments is reduced, we can develop heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
5. When you are tired, your body’s ability to “keep up” with heat production demands caused by activity levels that are too high or too low is impaired, which causes a drop in core temperature and metabolic rate. This causes your muscles and organs to lose heat via convection (through their surfaces), which increases blood flow to the skin and decreases blood flow to the internal organs, which causes them to lose heat via conduction (through their interiors). Because our ability to tolerate exercise in hot environments is reduced, we can develop heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

How can you help prevent feeling chilly when you’re well-rested?

• Keep your core temperature up using your body’s thermoregulatory mechanisms to control core temperature, which is the main way by which we lose heat in hot environments.
• If you are cold, you should use the sun as a source of warming energy by standing/walking in the sun’s rays, and wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants if possible.
• If you are very cold, you should wear a hat and scarf or a jacket and pants if possible. You can also use your body’s thermoregulatory mechanisms to control core temperature by regulating the flow of blood to peripheral organs (such as hands & feet), which will increase their heat gain via convection (through their surfaces). This will raise their core temperatures faster than usual because their temperatures are closer to that of skin temperature (which is about 35°C) than that of internal organs (about 35°C). To do this, bring your hands together into fists and close your fists tightly, then place them in front of your face. Then breathe out through the mouth without opening your mouth.
• If you are very cold, you should wear long-sleeved shirts and pants if possible. You can also use your body’s thermoregulatory mechanisms to control core temperature by regulating the flow of blood to peripheral organs (such as hands & feet), which will increase their heat gain via convection (through their surfaces). This will raise their core temperatures faster than usual because their temperatures are closer to that of skin temperature (which is about 35°C) than that of internal organs (about 35°C). To do this, bring your hands together into fists and close your fists tightly, then place them in front of your face. Then breathe out through the mouth without opening your mouth.
• If you are very cold, you should wear long-sleeved shirts and pants if possible. You can also use your body’s thermoregulatory mechanisms to control core temperature by regulating the flow of blood to peripheral organs (such as hands & feet), which will increase their heat gain via convection (through their surfaces). This will raise their core temperatures faster than usual because their temperatures are closer to that of skin temperature (which is about 35°C) than that of internal organs (about 35°C). To do this, bring your hands together into fists and close your fists tightly, then place them in front of your face. Then breathe out through the mouth without opening your mouth.

Conclusion

The science behind the real reason why we get cold when we are tired is a complicated one, but by understanding how your body works and taking steps to prevent feeling chilly when you’re well-rested, you’ll be on your way to staying warm and cozy all winter.