A Doctor Finally Explains Why You're Always Cold

Kelsey Clark

At my first job out of college, my co-workers gifted me a Snuggie for Christmas because of my chronic coldness. Three years later, and I'm finally learning the reasons behind this inconvenient ailment—and it's not just women's winter. Thanks to an anonymous question posted on Health asking, "I'm always cold, even when people around me aren't. Why is that?" I now know there are five different reasons for chronic coldness.

For starters, it's important to know women are actually more predisposed to coldness than men, simply because we tend to "conserve more heat around our vital organs," according to Dr. Roshini Raj, assistant professor of medicine at the NYU School of MedicineThis chilliness can be amplified if you have low body fat, due to the fact that you're less insulated. Raj also points to fatigue and dehydration as possible culprits—when you're not getting enough sleep, your metabolism and blood circulation can actually slow down. On the other hand, water helps your body retain and release heat more slowly, which helps it maintain a consistent temperature. A lack of water can leave you feeling uncomfortably cold.

"Other potential reasons for frequent shivering include low levels of iron or vitamin B12, which both play a role in your body's ability to regulate temperature, or an under active thyroid," concludes Raj. She recommends a visit to your doctor if your coldness is making you uncomfortable every day to determine if there's a quick fix or if it's a sign of an issue that needs treatment.

Do any of these explanations ring a bell for your chronic coldness? Share your experience below! 

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