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October 4, 2008 20:55Body TemperatureIf our body temperature is about 37 Celsius (~98 Fahrenheit), why do we feel hot in a 32 C (~90 F) temperature? And why is it so comfortable in 20 C (~68 F) although this is lower than our body temperature? |
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Hello
Our body needs to be within an optimal temperature range in order to function properly. This is, among other things, because our proteins-enzymes stop functioning properly in high temperatures and begin to "melt". That is why high fever is dangerous.
Now, our body consumes energy and generates a large amount of heat constantly. If it did not lose that excess heat, it would just get hotter and hotter! Therefore our body wants to be in temperatures where it can lose heat effectively. That is why it feels so comfortable in 20 C.
Now, at ambient home temperatures, you can be warm enough wearing only a T-shirt. But as soon as you go to bed you need a blanket. That is because during sleep our body energy consumption slows down, and we generate less heat. Which is why if you've just waken up you'll tend to feel colder than when you're wide awake.
Also, our body tends to get used to environmental temperatures and adjust itself accordingly. For instance, when you go for a swim in the sea the water will feel cold initially - but within 10 minutes of swimming it will be comfortable, as your body will begin to generate more heat.
Another experiment to confuse your temperature sensing: dip one hand in a bowl of fridge-cold water for a couple of minutes, till it begins to feel less cold and more comfortable. Then remove your hand from the water, turn the cold tap on and put both hands under it. One hand will sense the water as cold, but your cold-treated hand will sense it as warm.
So you see that temperature sensing is a bit more complicated than temperature difference between the body and the environment.
FB
Hi FB!
Thanks for your answer, I fully understand now!
:)
Hi again! I see why our body needs to be kept at a certain temperature. But still, how do the sensors of temperature say that 30 Celsius is "hot" even though it's cooler than our body? FB explained why, but I'd like to know, how?
What I had asked is what does our body compare the external temperature to (so that we feel cold or hot)?
First of all, we should consider that our skin temperature is lower than 37 degrees (normally it is around 32 degrees but it can easily change). So, I think that our body compares outside temperature with its SKIN temperature and the flow of energy to and from the skin is what determines whether we feel cold or hot. Moreover, in my opinion, whether you feel hot at 30 Celsius or not also depends on what you are doing. What I mean is that when you are resting you might feel comfortable, but when you are, let's say, running, your temperature rises. Therefore, you need to lose heat, as mentioned before, but at that temperature you lose heat slowly (if you lose at all), so you start sweating.
(Did I answer to your question?)
btw, for more information you can check this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoregulation
(Um... Partly!)
Maybe it's right that our body compares its temperature with the skin - it's logical... But still, 20 Celsius (the "normal" temperature is lower than our skin temperature - why don't we feel cold?
What you said about actions, Angeliki, looks interesting... But there's something weird here... We can feel hot at 15 Celsius, if we run like crazy, for example, but we can't feel cold at 35 Celsius, even if we stand completely still... I suppose. But that's weird, isn't it? It's like there's only one way...
Well, I don't think I can explain why exactly we do not feel cold at 20 degrees because I don't have a specific answer either. I suppose that the first answer explains it well... It seems that our thermoregulating system is more complicated than I thought... :P
However, regarding your observation that we cannot feel cold at 35 Celsius, I suppose it happens because even if we don't do anything, our organism does not stop working, so it does produce heat. Actually, temperature over 35-36 Celsius is considered extremely hot (a heatwave)!! So, you're right there is only... one way, we cannot save ourselves from hot weather :P!!!