Body + Mind is reader-supported. We may earn an affiliate commission when you buy through some of the links on our site.
You waved the white flag in the office thermostat wars and now come in equipped with multiple sweaters and a space heater beneath your desk. Your spouse gives you the side eye every time you approach the thermostat, grumbling about heating oil costs. Yet, you still shiver. What gives? If you ask yourself, “Why am I always cold,” multiple times per day, consider talking to your doctor — the underlying problem may be one of the following.
About 5% of all Americans — millions of people — have hypothyroidism. This condition occurs when your thyroid gland fails to produce sufficient hormone.
Fortunately, this common cause of always feeling cold is easy to remedy for those with health coverage. Your doctor performs a simple blood test to confirm the diagnosis and prescribes a medication readily accessible to both men and women. Those without coverage can search the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. Once obtaining your prescription, affordable generics abound. Discuss your financial situation with your provider.
An undesirable side effect of losing body fat could mean shivering more often. Although doctors still don’t know all the roles fat plays in the body, one thing it does is serve as insulation.
Fat loss may occur:
You should seek treatment whenever possible if you suspect an eating disorder. Also, what you consume matters. Avoid the temptation to load up on unhealthy foods and use supplemental nutritional shakes or whole foods to meet your calorie needs.
Type 2 diabetes may seem like an endocrine disorder, but every system in your body affects every other. One unwanted side effect is often circulatory issues, which can decrease the amount of warm blood flowing to your hands and feet. Another is peripheral neuropathy, where your nerves in your extremities grow unusually sensitive or go numb. Even cold temperatures can impact your cortisol and insulin balance, leading to increased shivers.
Type 2 diabetes requires medical treatment. However, it might not be too late if you’re on the edge. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three Americans has prediabetes, which you can often reverse with a healthy diet and exercise.
There are different types of anemia, which often but not always result from nutritional deficiencies. For example, typical anemia occurs from a shortage of iron, which can result from insufficient dietary intake or an inability to absorb it. Pernicious anemia usually occurs in people who lack the intrinsic factor to process vitamin B12 but occasionally results from a dietary shortage.
Vegans and vegetarians are often most prone to anemia, as they may not get sufficient intake of these nutrients from plant-based foods. Additionally, some plant-based sources contain antinutrients that make it harder for your body to digest what you eat.
POTS is a rare disorder, although those with it wish it received more attention, as the symptoms can cause severe problems navigating daily life that others often misinterpret as laziness. This circulatory disorder causes reduced blood flow back to the heart when changing position. It can cause extreme dizziness and fainting when the individual must remain stationary for too long, especially in a standing position. POTS is a type of dysautonomia, a disorder that occurs when the autonomic nervous system fails to function correctly.
People with POTS are prone to Raynaud’s syndrome, which can also occur independently. This disorder causes your extremities to literally turn blue in response to temperature changes.
The next three possible answers to the “why am I always cold” question indicate more severe issues, which often occur alongside other symptoms. However, the sooner you address these underlying disorders, the better your chances for a cure and a longer, healthier life.
Kidney disease can cause you to feel cold because of the impact on your circulatory system. It can also cause waste to build up in your blood, increasing your overall sensitivity.
Heart disease remains the number one killer of men and women worldwide, making it worth investigating if you always feel cold. Heart failure reduces blood circulation, but that’s not the only possibility. Other circulatory disorders can impact the amount of blood flowing to your extremities and skin surface, affecting your temperature perception.
Although your thyroid produces hormones, it’s your pituitary gland that tells it how much by emitting TSH or thyroid stimulating hormone. Your hypothalamus controls many of your body’s thermal functions like sweating. An issue with either part of the brain can make you feel cold all the time.
Even too much ongoing stress can make you feel cold all the time. For example, excess cortisol from prolonged stress affects thyroid hormone levels, which can make you shiver. Furthermore, stress causes structural brain changes impacting your HPA axis, which includes your hypothalamus.
If you drink alcohol to warm up, think again. According to Dr. Hannah Goldberg, alcohol dilates your blood vessels, which creates the temporary effect. However, it does so by pulling blood away from your core, dropping your overall temperature and increasing your risk of hypothermia. Some medications, likewise, can affect your body’s temperature perception — discuss your prescriptions with your doctor.
Finally, being female makes you more prone to always feeling cold. Scientists hypothesize that it may be due to progesterone and estrogen levels. However, some also point to their smaller body size, which reduces the surface area for producing heat.
Whatever the cause, if you’re among those who say, “Why am I always cold,” stocking up on cool-weather gear is a must. Shared office spaces mean compromise, and it’s harder for those who are always hot to take off their garments in public than it is to don an extra sweater or fuzzy socks — although it helps if your employer has a reasonable dress code that allows you to accommodate your needs.
If you constantly ask, “Why am I always cold,” despite wearing sweaters when everyone else is in shorts, an underlying medical condition might contribute to your distress. Examine the possibilities and talk with your doctor about interventions that can make you feel cozier every day.
Your email address will only be used to send you our newsletter, and at any time you may unsubscribe. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.
