increasingly sensitive to the cold<\/a>, age might be playing a part in this.<\/p>\nDr Elise Dallas, a GP at London General Practice, has explained six common reasons why we tend to feel the cold more as we age, and has also shared some helpful advice on how to stay warm and cosy as the chiller months come into full force.<\/p>\n
Slower metabolism<\/strong><\/p>\nA slower metabolism contributes to feeling colder as you age.<\/p>\n
\u201cMetabolism slows with age due to reduced lean muscle mass and hormonal changes,\u201d explains Dallas. \u201cThyroid function declines, especially free T3 levels, which lowers metabolic rate and heat production. Adrenal changes include reduced DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) and altered cortisol rhythms, which can affect energy balance and thermoregulation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThermogenesis, the process of heat production in the body, becomes less efficient. It includes basal metabolic heat, shivering, and non-shivering mechanisms like brown fat activation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Less muscles and fat<\/strong><\/p>\nMany of us tend to lose muscle and fat later on in life, which reduces our body\u2019s insulation.<\/p>\n
\u201cMuscle mass declines due to sarcopenia, reducing heat generation. Subcutaneous fat also decreases, reducing insulation,\u201d says Dallas. \u201cFat redistributes from limbs to central areas, which lowers peripheral warmth.\u201d<\/p>\n
Poor circulation<\/strong><\/p>\nCirculation tends to naturally decline with age.<\/p>\n
\u201cBlood vessels stiffen and vasodilation becomes less responsive,\u201d says Dallas. \u201cPeripheral circulation slows, especially in extremities, reducing heat delivery. Autonomic regulation of blood flow also weakens, making it harder to maintain warmth.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chronic conditions<\/strong><\/p>\nChronic conditions such as hypothyroidism, anaemia and diabetes can all increase sensitivity to cold in older adults by affecting the body\u2019s ability to generate and circulate heat.<\/p>\n
\u201cHypothyroidism reduces metabolic heat production and anaemia lowers oxygen delivery to tissues, reducing cellular energy and heat,\u201d explains Dallas. \u201cWhereas diabetes can cause peripheral neuropathy and vascular damage, impairing heat sensation and circulation.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn addition, heart failure reduces cardiac output, limiting blood flow to the skin and extremities and Raynaud\u2019s phenomenon causes exaggerated vasoconstriction in response to cold.\u201d<\/p>\n
Medication side effects<\/strong><\/p>\nDue to age-related changes in the body and the common use of multiple medications, older adults are more susceptible to side effects.<\/p>\n
\u201cDiuretics \u2013 including thiazide (e.g. bendroflumethiazide), a loop (e.g. furosemide), and potassium-sparing (e.g. spironolactone) can cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, impairing thermoregulation,\u201d says Dallas. \u201cAntidepressants such as SSRIs (e.g. sertraline, fluoxetine) and tricyclics (e.g. amitriptyline) may affect hypothalamic temperature control and cause vasoconstriction.<\/p>\n
\u201cFurthermore, vasodilators like calcium channel blockers (e.g. amlodipine) and alpha-blockers (e.g. doxazosin) can impair vascular tone and heat retention and beta-blockers (e.g. bisoprolol) reduce cardiac output and peripheral circulation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Additional factors<\/strong><\/p>\nAn array of other age-related factors all play a part too.<\/p>\n
\u201cThinner skin, reduced sweat gland function, lower physical activity, and impaired hypothalamic response all reduce the body\u2019s ability to sense and respond to cold,\u201d adds Dallas. \u201cLower calorie intake and reduced brown fat activity also contribute.\u201d<\/p>\n
Can exposure to cold temperatures lead to any serious health problems for older adults? \u201cYes, exposure to cold temperatures lead to any serious health problems for older adults,\u201d says Dallas. \u201cHypothermia can occur, even indoors, and cold stress increases cardiovascular risk, worsens arthritis, and can impair cognition and mobility, increasing fall risk. Frostbite is also a risk in severe cold.\u201d<\/p>\n
What can older adults do to stay warm this winter? \u201cWear thermal layers including hats, gloves and socks,\u201d advises Dallas. \u201cAlso, keep indoor temperature at least 20\u00b0C, use heated blankets or hot water bottles safely and check for draughts and insulate windows and doors.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn addition, eat regular, warm meals, stay hydrated and try to stay active indoors to boost circulation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: <\/strong>Sign up here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A doctor has revealed the surprising reasons some people feel the cold more as they get older –…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":156991,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[79,18,135,19,17,443],"class_list":{"0":"post-156990","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-eire","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-ie","12":"tag-ireland","13":"tag-weather"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156990","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=156990"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156990\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/156991"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=156990"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=156990"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=156990"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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Generic photo of a man stood outside in a hat and a winter coat breathing on his hands to warm them up. (Image: Alamy\/PA. )<\/p>\n