Chills are your body’s way of generating heat, and the fastest way to help is to layer on warm (but breathable) clothing, drink warm fluids, and rest. Whether your chills come from a fever, cold exposure, or something else, the goal is the same: help your body reach the temperature it’s trying to hit without overdoing it in either direction.
Why Your Body Produces Chills
Chills are involuntary muscle contractions in your skeletal muscles, and they exist for one purpose: to produce heat. A region at the front of your hypothalamus acts as your body’s thermostat. It receives temperature signals from sensors in your skin and decides whether your core temperature needs adjusting. When the thermostat detects that you’re too cold, or when a fever resets your target temperature higher, it sends signals through your motor system that trigger the rapid, rhythmic muscle contractions you feel as shivering.
During an infection, your immune system produces a signaling molecule that acts directly on this brain thermostat, essentially turning the dial up. This is why you can feel freezing cold even in a warm room when you have the flu. Your brain has decided your body should be hotter than it currently is, so it triggers the same cold-response machinery it would use if you were standing outside in winter. Research from Nagoya University found that this same molecule also amplifies cold signals traveling from your skin to a brain region involved in emotions, which is why chills during illness feel so deeply uncomfortable and drive you to seek warmth.
Quick Relief for Fever-Related Chills
When chills come with a fever, resist the urge to pile on heavy blankets. It feels counterintuitive, but overdressing traps too much heat and can push your temperature even higher. Instead, wear light, breathable clothing and use a single comfortable layer of bedding. Keep your room at a normal, comfortable temperature rather than cranking up the heat.
Hydration matters more than most people realize during a fever. You lose fluids faster through sweating and increased metabolism, and dehydration on its own can worsen a fever. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Cool water can help bring your temperature down slightly, while warm drinks like herbal tea or broth can ease the sensation of cold without significantly raising your core temperature. Both are good choices depending on what feels better in the moment.
Rest is not optional. Your muscles are working hard when you shiver, burning through energy reserves. Lying down under a light blanket in a quiet room lets your body direct its resources toward fighting the infection rather than keeping you upright.
Over-the-Counter Fever Reducers
If a fever is driving your chills, bringing the fever down will stop the shivering. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are the two standard options. They work by reducing the signaling molecules that push your brain’s thermostat higher. Once the target temperature drops back toward normal, your brain stops sending the shiver command.
Follow the dosing instructions on whatever product you use. The key safety limit for acetaminophen is no more than 4,000 milligrams in 24 hours, and less is better if you can manage your symptoms on a lower dose. Be careful about combining products, since acetaminophen shows up in many cold and flu formulas, and it’s easy to double up without realizing it.
For children, never use aspirin to treat a fever. It increases the risk of Reye syndrome, a rare but serious condition affecting the brain and liver, particularly when certain viral infections like the flu or chickenpox are involved. Stick with children’s formulations of acetaminophen or ibuprofen and follow age-appropriate dosing on the label.
Chills From Cold Exposure
If your chills are caused by being out in the cold too long rather than by illness, the approach is different. The priority is gentle, gradual rewarming focused on the core of your body.
- Get out of the cold. Move indoors if possible. If you can’t, shield yourself from wind, especially around your neck and head, and insulate yourself from cold ground with a blanket or jacket underneath you.
- Remove wet clothing. Wet fabric pulls heat away from your body far faster than dry air does. Replace it with warm, dry layers.
- Warm the center of your body first. Apply warm (not hot) compresses to your neck, chest, and groin, where major blood vessels run close to the surface. An electric blanket works well if one is available. Wrap hot water bottles or chemical heat packs in a towel before placing them against skin.
- Drink something warm and sweet. Warm fluids raise your core temperature from the inside, and the sugar provides quick energy for your body to use in heat production.
What you should avoid matters just as much. Don’t rewarm too quickly with a heating lamp or hot bath, because rapid external heating can stress the heart. Don’t try to warm the arms and legs first, since this can push cold blood from the extremities toward the heart and lungs. Skip alcohol entirely. It dilates blood vessels near the skin, which feels warming but actually accelerates heat loss from your core and slows the rewarming process. Cigarettes are also counterproductive because they constrict blood vessels and reduce the circulation your body needs to distribute warmth.
What Not to Do for Any Type of Chills
One of the most common mistakes is using cold water to bring down a fever. A cold bath or shower triggers more shivering, which paradoxically drives your internal temperature up. Your body interprets the cold water as a threat and doubles down on heat production. Tepid water (lukewarm, not cold) is the safe middle ground if you want to use a bath or compresses.
For children especially, cold-water baths are uncomfortable and counterproductive. Wiping a child’s body with rubbing alcohol is another old home remedy that should be avoided completely. Alcohol absorbs through the skin and can cause toxicity, particularly in small children.
When Chills Signal Something Serious
Most chills resolve on their own or with the basic measures above. But certain combinations of symptoms point to something that needs medical attention. Call a doctor if your fever climbs above 104°F (40°C). Seek immediate help if chills and fever are accompanied by any of these: a seizure, confusion or loss of consciousness, a stiff neck, difficulty breathing, severe pain anywhere in the body, or visible swelling or inflammation. These can indicate infections like meningitis or sepsis that require urgent treatment.
Chills that keep recurring without an obvious cause, like a known cold or flu, also deserve a medical evaluation. Repeated episodes can sometimes signal infections that aren’t clearing on their own, autoimmune conditions, or other underlying issues that basic home care won’t address.