This is how the body protects itself from the cold

Written By ندى ماهر عبدربه on 2023/12/23

This article was written originally in Arabic and is translated using a 3rd party automated service. ArabiaWeather is not responsible for any grammatical errors whatsoever.

Arabia Weather - While humans seek to keep warm by drinking hot drinks and wearing heavy clothes, the body also takes measures to protect itself from the cold, and as temperatures drop, the body works hard to maintain an optimal temperature. When it's cold outside, the body regulates its internal temperature by dropping to very low levels, which is known as "thermia." The body follows several methods to control its internal temperature, and the optimal temperature is about 37 degrees Celsius. Among these methods, we can mention:

How does the body protect itself from the cold?

According to Dr. Hans-Michael Mollenfeld, a general practitioner in Germany, there are several ways the body protects itself from the cold, including:

Goosebumps

Small muscles connected to the hair follicles on the arms contract, causing the hair to stand up, and giving the skin a goose-skin appearance, with the aim of reducing the superficial area of the skin, and according to statements by Dr. Hans-Michael Mollenfeld, as a result of this, small amounts of heat are lost to the surrounding air.

Trembling

There is a slight vibration in the body, perhaps accompanied by chattering of teeth, and Mollenfeld points out that “moving the muscles generates heat in the body.” Vigorous physical activity, such as jogging, causes this effect to be repeated.

Skin redness

The hands and/or face often turn red in extreme weather. To protect the skin from cold injury, blood vessels near the surface dilate, increasing the flow of warm blood to the area. “The increased blood flow causes redness of the skin,” Mollenfeld says.

Cold hands

The temperature of the blood inside the body is higher than outside, and the German doctor points out that “the temperature inside the body is ideal, but the blood near the surface is affected by the external temperature.” Thus, while the temperature of the nose and ears cools, the internal organs remain warm, and the body actively takes care of protecting them. He stresses the importance that temperature regulation in the body occurs automatically. Mollenfeld says:

“This is vital, otherwise the body will not do its job of protecting during sleep.”