Why you feel colder as you age – and how to keep warm in winter
With temperatures dropping in recent weeks and the official start of scarf season, many people are feeling even colder.
For those who are increasingly susceptible to colds, even with multiple layers, age can be a factor.
Dr Alice Dallas, a GP in general practice in London, looked at six common reasons why people feel cold as they get older.
He also offers practical advice for staying warm and cozy as the colder months intensify.
1. Slow metabolism
A slow metabolism makes you feel cooler as you age.
“Metabolism slows with age due to the loss of lean muscle mass and hormonal changes,” explains Dallas. Thyroid function decreases, especially free T3 levels, which decrease metabolic rate and heat production. Adrenal changes include decreased DHEA (androsterone dehydroepiandrosterone) and altered cortisol rhythms, which can affect energy balance and temperature.
“Thermogenesis, the process of heat production in the body, becomes more efficient. This process involves basal metabolic temperature, shivering, and brown fat activation mechanisms.”
2. Less muscle and fat
Most of us lose muscle and fat later in life, which reduces the body’s insulation.
“Due to sarcopenia, muscle mass is reduced, reducing heat production. Skin fat is also reduced, reducing insulation,” says Dallas. The fat is distributed from the organs to the central regions, which reduces the ambient temperature.
3. Poor blood circulation
Circulation naturally decreases with age.
“The blood vessels stiffen and the vasodilators become less responsive,” says Dallas. Peripheral circulation slows down, especially in the limbs, and reduces heat transfer. Autoregulation of blood flow is also impaired, making it difficult to stay warm.
4. Chronic conditions
Chronic conditions such as hypothyroidism, anemia, and diabetes can all increase sensitivity to cold in older adults by affecting the body’s ability to produce and circulate heat.
Hypothyroidism reduces metabolic heat production, and anemia reduces tissue oxygenation, reducing energy and cell temperature, Dallas explains. “While diabetes can cause peripheral neuropathy and nerve damage, it can also impair temperature sensation and circulation.
In addition, heart failure reduces cardiac output, restricts blood flow to the skin and organs, and causes Raynaud’s phenomenon to cause excessive vasoconstriction in response to cold.
5. Side effects of drugs
Due to age-related changes in the body and frequent use of many medications, older people are prone to side effects.
Diuretics—including thiazides (such as bendroflumethiazide), loop (such as furosemide), and potassium-sparing (such as spironolactone)—can cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalances and impair tumor regulation. Antidepressants such as SSRIs (eg, sertraline, fluoxetine) and tricyclics (eg, amitriptyline) may affect hypothalamic temperature control and cause vasoconstriction.
In addition, vasodilators such as calcium channel blockers (eg, amlodipine) and alpha-blockers (eg, doxazosin) can impair vascular tone and temperature maintenance, and beta-blockers (eg, bisoprolol) reduce cardiac output and peripheral blood flow.
6. Additional factors
Other age-related factors also play a role.
“Thin skin, reduced salivary gland activity, reduced physical activity, and poor hypothalamic responsiveness all reduce the body’s ability to sense and respond to colds,” adds Dallas. Dallas adds.
Low calorie intake and reduced brown fat activity also help.
Can exposure to cold temperatures cause serious health problems for adults?
“Yes, exposure to cold temperatures can cause serious health problems for older adults,” says Dallas. Hypothermia can occur even indoors, and cold stress increases the risk of heart attack, worsens joint pain, and can impair cognition and mobility and increase the risk of falls. Frostbite is also a danger in extreme cold.
What do adults do to stay warm in the winter?
“Wear warm layers, including a hat, gloves and socks,” Dallas advises. Also, keep indoor temperatures at least 20 degrees Celsius, use heating blankets or hot water bottles safely, and check gutters and insulate windows and doors.
In addition, eat regular, warm meals, stay hydrated, and try to stay active indoors to promote circulation.
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