Do you find yourself getting colder as you age? You are not alone. Many seniors struggle with keeping warm, but why do seniors tend to get cold, even when others around them seem fine? Many different factors can cause seniors to feel cold.
Let’s Talk About Why Seniors Are Always Cold
Slower Metabolic Rate
Your metabolism is a chemical process that plays a crucial role in maintaining your body’s normal functions. Some of metabolism’s responsibilities include breaking down nutrients from our food and providing the body with the energy it needs to build and repair itself.
This energy is also necessary for keeping your body warm. As you age, your metabolic rate tends to slow down, which can also affect the amount of energy available. Therefore, less energy is available to warm the body, making seniors feel cold more often.
Loss of Fat
In the aging process, it’s common for seniors to lose fat after 70. The fat on our bodies acts as a natural insulator, which helps keep us warm. This fat loss can contribute to seniors feeling cold but wearing additional layers can help combat this issue.
Poor Circulation
Over the years, blood vessels lose their elasticity, contributing to poor circulation. In addition, some medications can also affect your blood pressure and, ultimately, your circulation.
Undiagnosed or Known Diseases
Anemia, Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, Kidney Disease, and Thyroid Disease are also illnesses that can cause seniors to feel cold all the time. Feeling cold can be an underlying symptom of another disease. If you always feel cold, it is essential to communicate this with your primary physician.
How to Keep Seniors Warm
- Stay Hydrated: We will never stop telling you to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Seniors already have a difficult enough time as it is regulating their body temperature. Staying hydrated helps you balance this. In addition, drinking warm beverages such as tea or hot cocoa warm you internally and externally by holding a warm mug.
- Wear Layers: It is essential to dress for the weather. If you are prone to getting hot or cold, wearing layers is a great way to keep yourself warm or cold. Too cold? Put on another layer. Hot? Take a layer off. In addition, while at home, you can also wear socks or a blanket to help combat the cold.
- Keep Moving: Staying mobile is an excellent way of keeping yourself warm and helping your blood circulate. Have trouble walking? Chair exercises are also a great way to move your body without fear of falling.
While it is normal for seniors to feel cold, it may also be something to discuss with your primary physician. If you have concerns, be sure to reach out to your doctor with questions.
