Why less tolerant of hot and cold

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
When I was a kid, I loved hot weather. Seemed it could never get too hot. Now if it starts getting in the 70sF (20sC), I'm sweltering. Same with cold. I could play for hours out in the snow and not feel it. Now walking to the mailbox at the end of the driveway when it's below 40F (4C) even with a coat, and I'm chilled to the bone. What's changed?
 

I have read that older people's bodies have a more difficult time regulating their temperatures.

It is now well recognized that the body temperature of older men and women is lower than that of younger people and that their tolerance of thermal extremes is more limited. The regulation of body temperature does not depend on a single organ, but rather involves almost all the systems of the body, i.e. systems not exclusively dedicated to thermoregulatory functions such as the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Since these deteriorate naturally with advancing age, the decrement in their functions resonates throughout all the bodily processes, including those that control body temperature.

To the extent that the age-related changes in some of these, e.g. in the musculoskeletal system, can be slowed, or even prevented, by certain measures, e.g. fitness training, so can the decrements in thermoregulatory functions. Some deficits, however, are unavoidable, e.g. structural skin changes and metabolic alterations. These impact directly on the ability of the elderly to maintain thermal homeostasis, particularly when challenged by ambient thermal extremes. Since the maintenance of a relatively stable, optimal core temperature is one of the body's most important activities, its very survival can be threatened by these disorders. The present article describes the principal, age-associated changes in physiological functions that could affect the ability of seniors to maintain their body temperature when exposed to hot or cold environments.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22085834/
 
I have no problem with hot. In fact, I only use my house & car air conditioners when I have company. My upstairs gets up to 95-100 on a hot summer day & I'm fine.
But cold is a different story. Anything near 70 & I'm wearing a coat. Under 60 & I'm wearing a snow jacket.
It may be related to weight loss; I lost all my insulation. :giggle:
Or maybe I'm part reptile. They're cold blooded.
 

By chance did you have childhood polio? One of the listed side effects (according to the article in AARP a few months back) is intolerance to hot n cold. I did & need a light jacket below 70. Above 90 is uncomfortable.
 
debodun said:
When I was a kid, I loved hot weather. Seemed it could never get too hot. Now if it starts getting in the 70sF (20sC), I'm sweltering. Same with cold. I could play for hours out in the snow and not feel it. Now walking to the mailbox at the end of the driveway when it's below 40F (4C) even with a coat, and I'm chilled to the bone. What's changed?
Click to expand...
Reserve Energy.
With a poor diet, or just lacking some things needed, the Reserve Energy is reduced , gradually or quickly depending on different factors.
 
win231 said:
I have no problem with hot. In fact, I only use my house & car air conditioners when I have company. My upstairs gets up to 95-100 on a hot summer day & I'm fine.
But cold is a different story. Anything near 70 & I'm wearing a coat. Under 60 & I'm wearing a snow jacket.
It may be related to weight loss; I lost all my insulation. :giggle:
Or maybe I'm part reptile. They're cold blooded.
Click to expand...
I'm opposite, i can tolerate cold more, despite having been born in Florida and living my first decade there. I could tolerate heat better until my mid 40s. I feel the cold, but it doesn't effect me as negatively as heat does. Heat saps my energy.
 
feywon said:
I'm opposite, i can tolerate cold more, despite having been born in Florida and living my first decade there. I could tolerate heat better until my mid 40s. I feel the cold, but it doesn't effect me as negatively as heat does. Heat saps my energy.
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"Heat saps my energy"

Same here and humidity makes it worse. Its just after 8 pm here and 91 degrees, real feel of 101. I just came in from watering my tomato plants and I'm drained plus having breathing issue's due to COPD + heat and humidity. 😫
 
Becky1951 said:
"Heat saps my energy"

Same here and humidity makes it worse. Its just after 8 pm here and 91 degrees, real feel of 101. I just came in from watering my tomato plants and I'm drained plus having breathing issue's due to COPD + heat and humidity. 😫
Click to expand...
Oh yeah the humidity makes it worse. It's why i can't live near a coast or lake or big river tho i love them. Don't have as many issues with it here in NM. A couple of months out of a year, if a lot wildfires around, the smoke haze an issue for my lungs.
 
No matter how hot it is, since I got thyroid problems I am freezing all the time. I hate when the air conditioner is on. Even if it is 100 degrees out I have a sweater on. I keep the air conditioner on because Hubby needs it on.
 
jujube said:
After 44 years in Florida, I have orange juice in my veins instead of blood. Let that wind chill factor get down to 65 and I'm hibernating.
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I grew up in Florida and lived there until 2006. I couldn't wear a shirt again after a few hours due to the humidity. I remember having friends and relatives visit and they couldn't believe how I could live with the heat and humidity. I remember it getting down to 53 degrees one night in Miami and we were freezing and with heavy coats on.

Now we live in Dallas and due to (usually) lower humidity I can wear a shirt in 95 degree temps and hang it up afterwards to wear it again. 55 degrees and I'm out in shorts. :ROFLMAO:

At 64, I haven't noticed any difference in my ability to tolerate hot or cold. Sometimes I wake up at night because my legs are hot, but I've done that since I was a kid.
 
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