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Updated 09:05
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The Berlin general practitioner Dr. Carsten Lekutat explains what causes permanent freezing can have and what helps against it.
Freezing temperatures, snow, icy wind. No wonder that goosebumps are chasing the next at the moment. But if you shiver in warm rooms despite your undershirt and thick sweater and always have cold hands or feet even in summer, this can also have other physical causes.
“Freezing itself is a clever protective mechanism in our body,” explains TV doctor Dr. Carsten Lekutat (50, “The main thing is healthy”, Thursdays at 9 p.m., mdr). “In a biological sense, cold poses a much faster threat to us than heat, which is why our organism reacts very sensitively: With trembling muscles and pain stimuli, it gives us the unmistakable alarm signal: Get back to the warmth quickly!”
The most common cause of freezing is a slight hypothermia, caused by a low ambient temperature or inadequate clothing. In these cases the shivering is unpleasant, but harmless and quickly over as soon as you initiate heat measures, such as E.g. drink hot tea, turn up the heating, take a warm foot bath.
What other causes can the chill – and what can I do about it?
► Low blood flow: Cold hands and feet are often the result of low blood pressure. “Heat is transported through the entire body with the blood via the vascular system,” explains the doctor. “When the blood pressure is low, the blood is not circulated sufficiently and the body concentrates on warming the important internal organs and the brain. The extremities that are less important for survival get cold. ”What helps? Exercise and alternating showers get the blood circulation going. Drink plenty of water or tea; this increases blood volume and therefore blood pressure.
► Stress: “When our body releases stress hormones, it constricts the blood vessels and we shiver more easily,” says Lekutat, describing the effect that we have all felt before. This is also the reason why we freeze faster when we are not sleepy and lonely, as Canadian researchers have shown: “Both factors stress our body.” What helps? Studies have shown that stress hormones are best broken down with moderate endurance training, e.g. B. jogging or cycling. But please don’t stress out during the winter lockdown – every movement helps, just a walk. Meditation is a perfect mental balance, but it also works with puzzles, and you don’t have to learn that first.
►Muscle deficiency: “Muscles have an active metabolism, i. H. they continuously consume energy and generate heat in the process – even when they are idle, ”explains Carsten Lekutat. If they are activated, the effect is enormous: “When a muscle is working, only a third of the energy released flows into the actual work, e.g. For example, when running, two thirds are released as pure heat. ”Since female bodies only consist of around 25 percent muscles, while male bodies consist of 40 percent, it is not surprising that women are freezing more often. What helps? Build muscles, so grab the dumbbells or water bottles while the gyms are still closed.
Important: “Frequent freezing for no apparent reason can have medical causes that can damage the body in the long term and should therefore be clarified by a doctor!”
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