When winter is here, the observation is always the same:some people are very cold as soon as we approach 0°C, while others are not more bothered than that. How to explain this? The perception of cold is actually a message sent by the nerves to the brain, when the skin feels a cold temperature. And this message is different depending on whether the change in temperature is rapid or not (which explains why it is very hard to jump into cold water when you can easily stand going outside when it snows). Thus, the body feels threatened and, to protect the vital organs, it reduces the circulation of blood to the extremities (=vasoconstriction). And the shivers that we feel are due to a contraction of the muscles in order to provide heat.
So what explains why our feelings can be so different? Several factors come into play:the larger the surface area of the body (whether you are tall or overweight), the more heat the person will lose. However, the more adipose tissue (=fat mass) you have, the more heat you will retain, since fat acts as an insulator for the body. Which would mean that being short and overweight allows you to be warmer? Not necessarily. Another factor to take into account:being active generates heat. If you never move, you risk feeling the cold more than someone who is active. And then, the metabolism, specific to each person, is important (=the ability to produce heat spontaneously), as are the hormones (which explains why men are generally warmer than women), but also certain disturbances in pathological order such as thyroid dysfunction, poor blood circulation or even neurological disorders (which cause poor perception of the brain).
Well, one thing is certain:we are not equal in the face of the cold! Good luck to the chilly!
