I was recently sick and my body temperature was 38.6°C. It felt like I was in a refrigerator.
So, why do we feel cold when we have a high body temperature? Shouldn’t we feel hot instead?
In: Biology
Your body always has a set-point temp that it’s trying to get to.
* When your current temp is above the current set point, you “feel hot” and get the urge to do heat shedding behaviors like removing clothes, having a cold drink, etc.
* When your current temp is below the current setpoint, you “feel cold” and get the urge to do heat-seeking behaviors like putting on clothes and blankets, having hot drinks, etc.
When you’re sick, your body raises the set-point temperature. It’s like turning up the thermostat setting. With the setpoint raised, your current temp will be below the setpoint, so guess what you feel cold and start doing heat-seeking behavior to get even warmer.
**TLDR:** Your *actual* temperature doesn’t matter, if it’s below the current setpoint you feel cold. With a fever, your body raises the setpoint (on purpose, to make you give yourself a fever).
Latest Answers