Why do some people feel colder than others?

In the same room, one person may feel comfortable in a T-shirt while another has already reached for a sweater. Both are exposed to the same air temperature, but their heat production, heat loss, circulation, and perception of cold may differ.

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How easily someone feels cold is influenced by body size, muscle mass, fat distribution, blood flow, activity level, sleep, energy intake, and adaptation to temperature. In some cases, unusual cold sensitivity can also be associated with iron deficiency, an underactive thyroid, circulatory problems, or other medical conditions.

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The sensation of cold begins in the skin

Temperature-sensitive nerve endings in the skin detect when the environment becomes colder. This information is sent to the spinal cord and brain, including the hypothalamus, which helps regulate body temperature.

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Skin temperature is particularly important for the immediate sensation that the surroundings are cold. Core body temperature may still be normal even when the hands, feet, nose, and cheeks feel very cold.

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The brain continuously evaluates signals from both the skin and the body’s internal environment. If heat loss appears likely to exceed heat production, the body activates mechanisms designed to preserve a stable temperature around the internal organs.

These mechanisms may include:

• narrowing of blood vessels in the skin

• reduced blood flow to the hands and feet

• shivering

• increased muscle tension

• a stronger urge to move

• seeking warmer surroundings or clothing

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Feeling cold is therefore not simply a passive consequence of low air temperature. It is part of the body’s regulatory system and encourages behaviour that protects against further heat loss.

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Blood vessels prioritise the body’s core

When the skin becomes cold, small blood vessels in the skin and the outer parts of the body constrict. This vasoconstriction reduces the amount of warm blood reaching the body surface.

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Less heat is then lost to the environment, while blood is preserved more effectively around the heart, lungs, brain, and other central organs. This is an efficient protective response, but it also means that fingers and toes can quickly feel cold.

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Some people experience stronger peripheral vasoconstriction than others. Their hands may become cold even when the rest of the body feels warm. Skin temperature can therefore vary substantially between individuals without a similar difference in core temperature.

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It is also possible to feel cold because skin blood flow is reduced even when overall heat production is adequate. Cold hands do not necessarily mean that the whole body has a low temperature.

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Body size influences how quickly heat is lost

The body loses heat through its surface, while much of its heat production occurs in the tissues beneath the skin. The relationship between surface area and body mass is therefore important.

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A smaller or slimmer body often has a larger surface area relative to its mass than a larger body. This can allow heat to escape more quickly in relation to the amount of tissue available to produce and store heat.

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This is one reason children often cool down more quickly than adults. The same principle can contribute to differences between adults with different body types.

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Research on cold exposure shows that body size, body shape, and body composition explain a substantial part of the variation in how people defend body temperature in cold conditions. Individuals with a high surface-area-to-mass ratio have greater potential for heat loss, all else being equal.

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The difference is not absolute. Clothing, physical activity, wind, moisture, nutrition, and cold adaptation can be equally or more important in everyday situations.

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Muscles are an important source of heat

Heat is a natural by-product of energy metabolism. Muscle tissue contributes substantially to heat production, both at rest and especially during movement.

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A person with more muscle mass generally has a greater capacity to produce heat during physical activity and shivering. This does not mean that muscular people never feel cold, but muscle tissue provides more potential for heat generation.

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When you sit still, muscle activity is low. Less heat is produced than when you are walking, working, or exercising. This explains why a room may feel comfortable while you are moving around but cold as soon as you sit down.

Small movements can make a noticeable difference:

• standing up regularly

• walking for a few minutes

• moving the fingers and toes

• tightening and relaxing large muscle groups

• using the arms actively

• changing sitting position

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In more pronounced cold, the body may begin to shiver. Shivering consists of rapid, involuntary muscle contractions that increase energy expenditure and heat production. It is effective, but metabolically demanding.

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Body fat insulates, but does not explain everything

Subcutaneous fat acts as insulation and can reduce heat loss from the body’s core. People with more body fat may therefore maintain core temperature more effectively in some cold conditions.

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This does not necessarily mean that more body fat leads to warmer hands or less cold sensation. Effective insulation can help preserve central heat while skin temperature still falls. A person may therefore maintain a stable core temperature while continuing to experience cold skin.

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Fat distribution also matters. Fat around the torso may insulate the core, while the fingers, toes, nose, and ears contain little insulating tissue and remain vulnerable.

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Studies suggest that body composition and body mass influence temperature responses, but the relationship is complex. Fat mass, muscle mass, body size, and surface area interact, and no single factor fully explains who feels coldest.

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Women often report feeling colder

At a population level, women more often report feeling cold than men, especially in the hands and feet. Several possible explanations contribute, and the difference should not be reduced to one factor.

Women have, on average:

• lower body mass

• less muscle mass

• a larger surface area relative to body mass

• a different distribution of body fat

• lower heat production during inactivity

• differences in peripheral blood flow and hormonal regulation

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At the same time, women may have more insulating subcutaneous fat. This can protect core temperature without necessarily preventing cold skin or cold hands.

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Some studies have found a greater reduction in mean skin temperature in women during cold exposure, even when core temperature is maintained.

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Variation within each sex is still large. A physically active woman with relatively high muscle mass and good cold adaptation may tolerate cold better than a sedentary man with low heat production.

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Sex therefore provides only an average statistical difference and cannot reliably predict how one individual experiences temperature.

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Hormones can shift temperature regulation

Body temperature is influenced by hormonal variation. In people with menstrual cycles, core temperature usually rises slightly after ovulation, partly because of progesterone.

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This increase does not necessarily mean that the person feels warmer. When the body’s regulated temperature level shifts, the thresholds for sweating, vasoconstriction, and thermal comfort may also change.

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Some people therefore notice that temperature sensitivity varies throughout the menstrual cycle, while others experience little difference. Hormonal contraception, pregnancy, and menopause can also affect temperature regulation.

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Research indicates that sex hormones play a role, but body size, body composition, and activity level often explain a large proportion of the observed differences between women and men.

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Eating too little can reduce heat production

The body requires energy to maintain heat production. When energy intake remains low over time, the body may reduce energy expenditure and prioritise essential functions.

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People who eat very little, lose weight rapidly, or have low energy availability may therefore experience increased cold sensitivity. Lower body mass and less insulating tissue can also increase heat loss.

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Food temporarily increases heat production through digestion and nutrient metabolism. This is known as the thermic effect of food. Protein generally requires more energy to digest and process than fat and carbohydrate, but ordinary differences between meals are rarely sufficient to explain persistent cold sensitivity on their own.

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A warm meal or hot drink may create a noticeable but often short-lived sensation of warmth. The longer-term effect depends more on whether the body receives enough total energy than on the temperature of the food itself.

Cold sensitivity may become more noticeable when low energy intake is combined with:

• weight loss

• low activity levels

• low muscle mass

• sleep deprivation

• iron deficiency

• low blood pressure

• long periods of inactivity

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Persistent cold sensitivity together with marked weight loss, low food intake, or menstrual changes may indicate that low energy availability should be considered.

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Sleep and fatigue can make cold more noticeable

Sleep loss can affect how the brain interprets bodily signals and how effectively the body regulates physiological stress.

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When someone is very tired, cold may feel more uncomfortable even if the room temperature has not changed.

This may partly relate to lower activity levels, less spontaneous movement, and altered autonomic nervous system regulation. A tired person often sits still more and therefore generates less heat through muscle activity.

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Circadian rhythm also matters. Core temperature naturally falls in the evening and is usually lowest during the early morning hours. Many people therefore feel colder late at night or shortly after waking.

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This variation is normal and does not necessarily indicate poor circulation or thyroid dysfunction.

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Stress can cause cold hands

Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system. Blood vessels in the skin may constrict so that more blood is prioritised for muscles and central organs. The result can be cold or clammy hands.

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This can happen even when core temperature is normal. The cold sensation is then largely related to reduced peripheral blood flow rather than insufficient heat throughout the whole body.

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Acute stress can also cause rapid breathing, muscle tension, and increased awareness of bodily sensations. Some people therefore notice cold more strongly when nervous, while others only become aware of it once the stress response begins to settle.

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Long-term stress can indirectly increase cold sensitivity through poor sleep, irregular meals, and reduced movement.

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Adaptation changes what feels cold

Temperature is always experienced in context. A spring day at 12°C may feel warm after a cold winter but cool after a hot summer. The body and brain compare the current temperature with what they have recently experienced.

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People who regularly spend time in cooler environments may gradually become less bothered by them. Adaptation may involve both physiological changes and a different interpretation of cold signals.

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This does not necessarily mean that the body produces much more heat. Some of the difference may come from greater tolerance of cool skin and a reduced perception of discomfort.

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Clothing, expectations, and control over the situation also matter. The same room may feel colder when you cannot adjust the temperature than when you have chosen to stay there.

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Research on thermal comfort shows that temperature perception is influenced by physiology, psychology, expectations, adaptation, activity, clothing, and previous temperature exposure.

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Cold hands do not always mean poor circulation

The phrase poor circulation is often used to explain cold hands and feet, but normal blood vessels are supposed to reduce blood flow to the skin in cold conditions. Cold fingers can therefore be a normal regulatory response.

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Circulation becomes more concerning when the cold sensation is clearly one-sided, accompanied by pain, causes wounds that do not heal, or occurs with marked colour changes.

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In Raynaud’s phenomenon, small blood vessels in the fingers or toes react strongly to cold or emotional stress. The area may turn white or blue, followed by redness, tingling, or pain when blood flow returns.

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Raynaud’s phenomenon can occur on its own without another disease, but it can also be associated with certain rheumatic or vascular conditions. Cold and stress are common triggers.

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An underactive thyroid can cause persistent cold sensitivity

The thyroid gland produces hormones that influence energy metabolism throughout much of the body. In hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid, metabolic activity is reduced.

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Increased sensitivity to cold is a common possible symptom, but it rarely occurs in isolation.

Other signs may include:

• marked fatigue

• dry skin

• constipation

• a slower heart rate

• weight gain

• reduced concentration

• muscle weakness

• hoarseness

• menstrual changes

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These symptoms are non-specific and may have many other causes. Cold sensitivity alone is therefore not enough to conclude that someone has an underactive thyroid.

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Studies of people with hypothyroidism support the idea that the condition can affect cold-induced heat production and thermal tolerance, and that parts of the response may improve when thyroid function is treated.

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Iron deficiency and anaemia may contribute

Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body’s tissues. In anaemia, the amount of haemoglobin or the number of functioning red blood cells is reduced.

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This may contribute to fatigue, shortness of breath during activity, palpitations, pale skin, and increased cold sensitivity.

Iron deficiency is a common cause of anaemia, but low iron stores can also occur without clear anaemia.

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Cold sensitivity is not specific enough to determine whether iron status is low, but a combination of several symptoms may justify assessment.

Signs that may fit with iron deficiency or anaemia include:

• reduced endurance

• unusual breathlessness during light activity

• dizziness

• headaches

• palpitations

• pale skin

• marked fatigue

• restless legs

• heavy menstrual bleeding

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Cold intolerance has been reported in association with both anaemia and iron deficiency, but also with many other conditions. It must therefore be interpreted in the context of the person’s overall health and symptoms.

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Age changes temperature regulation

With increasing age, several parts of temperature regulation may become less effective. Older adults may have lower muscle mass, reduced physical activity, a weaker shivering response, and less pronounced vasoconstriction.

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They may also perceive temperature changes later than younger people. This means an older person may not notice how cold the body has become until temperature has already fallen significantly.

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Medication, low food intake, chronic disease, and reduced mobility can increase vulnerability further. Cold indoor environments may therefore pose a greater health risk to older adults than their subjective cold sensation suggests.

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In younger people, feeling cold is often mainly a comfort issue. In frail older adults, it is more important to consider whether the body can actually maintain temperature adequately.

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Wind and moisture make a major difference

The temperature shown on a thermometer does not tell the whole story. Wind removes the warm layer of air that normally forms close to the skin and clothing. This increases heat loss and makes the temperature feel lower.

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Wet clothing insulates less effectively than dry clothing. Water conducts heat away from the body much faster than dry air, so moderate temperatures can become demanding when someone is wet.

Outdoor cold sensation is influenced by:

Factor	Effect on heat loss
Wind	Removes warm air close to the body
Rain and moisture	Reduces the insulating effect of clothing
Inactivity	Lowers muscular heat production
Tight footwear	Reduces insulating air space and may contribute to cold feet
Sweating	Can cool the body when activity stops
Exposed skin	Increases direct heat loss

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This explains why 5°C with rain and wind may feel much colder than sub-zero temperatures in dry, calm air with appropriate clothing.

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How to help the body retain heat

The most effective approach is usually to reduce heat loss while maintaining moderate heat production. Several thin layers often allow better regulation than one very thick garment because trapped air between the layers provides insulation.

Practical measures include:

• wear several layers

• keep clothing dry

• protect the head, neck, hands, and feet

• use a windproof outer layer

• stand up and move regularly

• avoid long periods of complete inactivity

• eat enough and at regular intervals

• change out of wet or sweaty clothing quickly

• use hot drinks for comfort

• avoid very tight shoes and gloves

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Warming the body’s core is often more effective than warming only the hands. When the torso is well insulated, the body has less need to reduce blood flow to the hands and feet.

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Mittens usually retain heat better than gloves because the fingers share warmth and expose less total surface area.

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When cold sensitivity should be assessed

Feeling colder than other people is often a normal individual variation. It is still reasonable to seek assessment if the cold sensitivity is new, markedly stronger than before, or difficult to explain through temperature, clothing, and activity level.

It may be appropriate to contact a doctor if cold sensitivity occurs together with:

• persistent fatigue

• shortness of breath during light activity

• dizziness or fainting

• unexplained weight change

• marked hair loss or dry skin

• constipation and a slow heart rate

• very heavy menstrual bleeding

• clearly white or blue fingers

• severe pain or numbness in the cold

• wounds on the fingers or toes

• fever or general illness

• one arm or leg becoming suddenly cold

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A doctor may assess blood count, iron status, thyroid function, nutrition, circulation, and medication use when appropriate.

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Sudden coldness, pallor, pain, or weakness in one arm or leg may indicate acutely reduced blood flow and should be assessed promptly.

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Summary

Some people feel colder than others because cold perception depends on how the body produces, distributes, and loses heat. Body size, muscle mass, fat distribution, peripheral blood flow, activity level, sex, hormones, energy intake, sleep, and adaptation can all contribute. Cold hands are often a normal result of blood vessels constricting to protect the body’s core. New or marked cold sensitivity, particularly when combined with fatigue, shortness of breath, weight change, colour changes, or other symptoms, may justify assessment of iron status, thyroid function, circulation, or other possible causes.

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Sources

• Schweiker, M., et al. (2018). Drivers of diversity in human thermal perception: A review for holistic comfort models. Temperature, 5(4), 308–342.

• Ivanova, Y. M., et al. (2021). Sex disparities in thermoregulatory and metabolic responses to cold. Frontiers in Physiology, 12, 678782.

• Khabbazi, A., et al. (2022). Cold intolerance and associated factors: A population study. Journal of General and Family Medicine, 23(6), 383–390.

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