Why You Feel The Cold More Than Others: A Chilly Mystery Solved

This one goes out to all my chilled friends! Ever found yourself bundled up in a cosy sweater, teeth chattering, while your friend is out enjoying the sun in shorts? It’s not just about how many layers you’re piling on; the real answer might just be swirling around in your hormones!

Dr. Natasha Fernando, a top-notch GP and Medical Director at Medichecks, spills the tea on why some of us feel the cold more than others. It turns out, hormones are the secret conductors of our body’s temperature orchestra.

Here’s the skinny: key players like oestrogen, progesterone, cortisol, testosterone, and those thyroid hormones (thyroxine and triiodothyronine) are behind this curious phenomenon.

Just picture it: you’re all wrapped up and still freezing, but there goes someone prancing about in shorts. Baffling, right?

Dr Natasha explains, “It’s all about how each of our bodies dances to its own beat in response to temperature changes, sometimes influenced by hormonal ups and downs.”

Feeling Cold?

Blame Your Stress!

Cortisol, our stress buddy, gets whipped up by the adrenal glands and is a big deal in metabolism and energy buzz. But when stress becomes your constant companion, it throws cortisol out of whack, messing with how well your body can keep its cool—or rather, its warmth, making you feel colder.

Ladies, Watch Your Cycle

For the women out there, oestrogen takes you on a temperature rollercoaster throughout your menstrual cycle. When oestrogen peaks just before ovulation, you might feel more of the chill. And if you’re riding the menopause wave, lower oestrogen levels can play havoc with your body’s thermostat, leading to those notorious hot and cold flashes.

Dr. Natasha adds a twist about progesterone too. After ovulation, as progesterone spikes, your body temp might tick up a bit, making you less chilly. But as it dips before your period, you might find yourself reaching for an extra blanket.

Muscle Up, Heat Up

Gents, here’s where testosterone steps in. This hormone helps bulk up muscle mass, which is like having your own personal heater. More muscle means more heat, so men typically might not feel the cold as much.

Thyroid Check!

Then there’s the thyroid, your body’s heat generator. A peppy thyroid means you’re likely to feel toastier, pumping out enough heat to keep you comfy. But if it’s sluggish (hello, hypothyroidism), you’ll probably feel like you’re stuck in a freezer.

And if you think your body’s thermostat is out of whack, a simple home blood test from Medichecks could give you a peek at what your hormones are up to, so you can figure out why you’re always grabbing that extra sweater!

So next time you’re feeling extra nippy while everyone else is shedding layers, remember—it might just be your hormones doing their own funky thing.