Increased cold sensitivity is a common experience as people age, rooted in measurable, physiological changes that affect how the body produces, distributes, and retains heat. The body’s complex system for maintaining a stable internal temperature becomes less efficient over time. This inefficiency means older adults are more vulnerable to cold environments and face a greater risk of adverse health outcomes, such as hypothermia. Understanding these underlying mechanisms helps explain why older people may require a warmer environment than their younger counterparts.
Reduced Internal Heat Generation
A primary reason for increased cold sensitivity is a reduction in the body’s basal metabolic rate (BMR). The BMR represents the minimum energy required to keep the body functioning at rest, and this rate naturally declines with age. This means that fewer calories are converted into heat energy, resulting in lower overall heat production.
This metabolic slowdown is largely attributed to sarcopenia, the age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass. Muscle tissue is significantly more metabolically active than fat tissue, meaning it is a major source of resting body heat. As muscle mass decreases, the body’s capacity for generating heat diminishes, which directly contributes to a lower core body temperature.
Research suggests the BMR can decrease by about 20% between the ages of 30 and 70 due to this loss of active muscle mass. A reduction in daily physical activity, which is common in older age, also contributes to a lower overall daily heat output.
Changes in Circulation and Skin Insulation
Heat retention and distribution are compromised with age due to changes in the circulatory system and skin structure. The skin thins and the layer of insulating subcutaneous fat beneath the skin decreases, providing less natural insulation against the cold environment. This reduced thermal barrier allows heat to escape the body faster, requiring internal systems to work harder to maintain core temperature.
The peripheral circulation, which controls blood flow to the extremities, becomes less effective. In a cold environment, blood vessels normally constrict (vasoconstriction) to shunt warm blood from the skin surface back toward the core organs, conserving heat. This vasoconstrictive response is often blunted or delayed in older adults, meaning they lose heat more easily and rapidly. This less efficient blood flow is particularly noticeable in the hands and feet, which often feel cold first because the body prioritizes warming the internal organs.
The Body’s Less Sensitive Thermostat
The central nervous system’s ability to monitor and regulate temperature becomes less precise, much like a thermostat with faulty sensors. The hypothalamus acts as the body’s central temperature control center, integrating signals to maintain a stable core temperature. With age, the function of the hypothalamus can become less sensitive to thermal signals, delaying the body’s appropriate response to cold.
This reduced sensitivity means older individuals may not register a drop in temperature until they are significantly chilled, impairing cold awareness. Furthermore, the body’s rapid-response heat generation mechanism, shivering, is often diminished or delayed in older adults. Shivering relies on muscle contractions to quickly generate heat, but age-related muscle loss makes this process less vigorous and effective, further limiting the ability to warm up quickly.
Health and Lifestyle Influences
Several compounding factors related to health status and lifestyle can worsen cold sensitivity in older adults. Certain common medical conditions directly interfere with the body’s temperature regulation systems.
Hypothyroidism, for instance, slows the metabolism, which reduces the body’s internal heat production. Anemia, characterized by a lack of healthy red blood cells, limits the blood’s capacity to carry oxygen and distribute heat efficiently throughout the body, leading to chronic cold sensations, particularly in the extremities.
Conditions that affect blood flow, such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes-related peripheral neuropathy, also contribute to cold intolerance. Diabetes can damage the nerves responsible for sensing temperature and can narrow blood vessels, compounding the circulatory issues already present due to aging.
A number of common medications, including beta-blockers prescribed for high blood pressure, can reduce heart rate and impair circulation to the skin, increasing the feeling of coldness. Dehydration and inadequate indoor heating are also environmental factors that can amplify the physiological changes.