WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS HOT?
WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS HOT?
Hyperthyroidism
Feeling warm? A problem with your thyroid gland
could be to blame. With hyperthyroidism, the gland
makes too many hormones. This speeds up the
rate that your body turns fuel into energy, which
makes you hot. You may be more thirsty, hungry,
and sweaty and your heart may race. You also may
have diarrhea or itchy rashes. Women may have
lighter or skipped periods or trouble getting
pregnant.
It's when a woman stops having her period for good,
usually around age 50. You'll likely get "hot flashes."
These are sudden, brief increases in body
temperature. Menopause may cause intense
sweating, dizziness, and a racing heart. The
symptoms usually start before your last period and
can last for several years. If they're severe, your
doctor may suggest you manage them with hormone
replacement, medications, and lifestyle changes.
Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
It happens when a woman's ovaries don't make
normal amounts of the hormone estrogen or
release eggs on a regular basis. It may be hard
to get pregnant. You also may have hot flashes
and night sweats that feel the same as
menopause symptoms. Talk to your doctor if
you notice these problems or skipped periods,
less sexual desire, and vaginal dryness.
Fever
Your body works best at around 98.6 F. Higher
than that and you may have a fever, which can
make you hot and sweaty. This often happens
as your body tries to fight off germs like viruses
or bacteria. Fluids, rest, and over-the-counter
meds can help. Tell your doctor about a fever of
103 or higher or if you're feeling worse. Go to
the emergency room if you have severe
symptoms like a very bad headache, stiff neck,
confusion, or seizures.
Caffeine
Caffeinated coffee can make you more alert
and less sleepy in the morning, but it also
boosts your body temperature. Too much of
it can raise blood pressure, blood sugar,
and stomach acid and cause sleep
problems. Read packaging on tea, soft
drinks, chocolate, and medicine. Gauge
your own response to figure out how much
is too much for you.
Spicy Food
Feel like your body heat zooms when you
eat those spicy hot peppers at your local
taco joint? You may be right. Spicy food
seems to raise your core body temperature
and can even make you sweat. There's
nothing to worry about. Some studies show
a spicy diet appears to be good for you. Just
don't overdo it, especially if you notice that it
makes you feel bad.
Exercise
Work your body hard and it burns more
fuel. That makes more heat. Your body tries
to get rid of it by sending warm blood closer
to the skin and cooling it with sweat. But
sometimes it can't get rid of it fast enough
and your core temperature goes up. It
happens more easily when it's hot and
humid, when it can lead to heatstroke, a
serious condition that needs emergency
medical care.
Hot Weather
Your body tries to keep itself at 98.6 F no
matter what the weather. When it's hot and
humid, your body moves blood to the skin's
surface and cools it with sweat. But not
right away. It waits until your body hits a
certain temperature. The exact number can
vary depending on your age, health, and
fitness level, but you're likely to feel hot
even as your body tries to cool you down.
Diabetes (Types 1 and 2)
With this disease, your blood vessels don't
dilate, or widen, as well as they should,
which makes it harder to bring blood to the
skin's surface and get rid of heat. The
sweat glands that are supposed to cool
your skin don't work as well either. That
makes it much harder to get your
temperature back down.
Age
When you're older, your cooling system
may not work as well. If it's hot outside,
your heart needs to pump more blood to
the surface to help keep your body cool. As
you age, your heart just isn't as strong, so it
has to work harder. To make things worse,
your blood vessels may not widen like they
used to, so you can't get as much blood to
the skin's surface at once.
Cardiovascular Disease
If you have it, your blood vessels don't
expand as well as they should and your
sweat-based cooling system doesn't work
as well either. This makes it harder to cool
down when you're hot. It can be dangerous,
too. A weakened heart may strain to send
blood around your body, and that can
cause a heart attack.
Drink Too Little Water
If you don't stay hydrated, you
won't sweat enough and your
body can't cool as easily. If you
think you may not be getting
enough water, take an iced water
bottle with you when you are out in
the heat or working out.
You're Not Used to Hot Weather
The more time you spend outside, the easier it is
for your body to get used to the heat. It takes
about 2 weeks for a healthy person to get
"acclimated" to a new temperature -- longer if
you're older or ill. Once it does, you'll feel cooler
and your body will be better at staying cool and
hydrated when working hard. It can help to set
your indoor temperature no more than 10 degrees
cooler than the outdoor temperature.
Obesity
Lean people stay cool better than folks
who are overweight. The more obese
you are, the less skin surface you
have for each pound of body weight.
The result: less cooling power. If you
need to drop some pounds, talk to
your doctor about ideas for a healthy
diet and an exercise program.
You're Out of Shape
When you're fit, it can help keep you
cool. It's not clear why, but studies show
that people who do more aerobic
exercise -- the kind that gets your heart
pumping -- are better able to cool down
when they get hot. And of course, it's
also good for your heart, weight, and
even your mood.
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