Why do hands and feet get cold in winter? This question is probably on everyone's mind these days when we step outside! Actually, the reason our hands and feet get cold first in very cold weather or when we feel chilly is quite simple. These limbs are the furthest from the chest area, where most of the body heat is produced. Therefore, blood circulation has the most difficulty reaching these areas. Although there's a logical explanation, living with ice-cold hands and feet on cold winter days can be really uncomfortable. In fact, if you have Raynaud's Syndrome, as I do, it can restrict even the simplest movements you make with your hands. In some cases, very cold hands and feet can actually be a symptom of an underlying condition. If you also complain of constantly cold hands and feet as temperatures drop, I've researched the underlying causes and suggested solutions.
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Why do hands and feet always feel cold ?
When we are motionless, our internal organs keep us warm. When we are in motion, this task is taken over by our muscles. Our bodies generally consist of very large muscle groups and internal organs. Except for our hands and feet! Both are areas with very little muscle and fat tissue, and despite covering a large area, they contain no internal organs. This creates ideal conditions for body heat to escape, rather than keeping us warm. So how do our hands and feet manage to keep themselves warm? This time, the capillaries that densely surround the entire body take over. These capillaries, which manage to keep hands and feet warm up to certain low temperatures, suddenly begin to constrict when the air becomes very cold. This constriction is due to the body's survival mechanism. The brain, telling itself, "I can live without my hands and feet; my primary priority is my heart and internal organs," obeys the command of the capillaries, and circulation is redirected from the extremities of the body towards the center, i.e., the heart. As a result, our hands and feet suddenly become very cold.
Who is more vulnerable to cold hands and feet?
Some people are more prone to having constantly cold hands and feet. For example, women experience this more often than men because women's capillaries constrict more quickly when exposed to cold than men's. In addition, children and people who are underweight are more vulnerable to cold hands and feet due to their lower fat and muscle ratios. Older people are also added to this list. Due to the devastating effects of aging on vascular and circulatory health, the body may not be able to warm itself effectively enough.
What does having cold hands and feet tell us?
Cold hands and feet don't usually indicate a serious health problem. However, there are some exceptions. A circulatory disorder called Raynaud's Syndrome can also contribute to very cold hands and feet. This harmless condition causes spasms in the arteries of the feet and hands. These spasms can be triggered by exposure to cold or intense stress, temporarily stopping blood circulation. As a result, the hands and feet not only become very cold but also change color. Fingers can turn white, blue, yellow, or purple depending on skin tone. While Raynaud's Syndrome alone doesn't cause any serious problems, it can sometimes occur due to underlying autoimmune diseases such as lupus.
Cold hands and feet can also be caused by vascular blockages in the arms and legs, nerve damage, and peripheral artery disease . Hypothyroidism , iron deficiency anemia, and beta-blocker medications can also be underlying causes of suddenly feeling very cold in the hands and feet. Diabetes, characterized by high glucose levels circulating in the blood, can also contribute to cold hands and feet if left uncontrolled, as it damages circulatory health. Finally, vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause neurological effects such as coldness, numbness, and tingling in the hands and feet.
If your hands and feet remain cold even in warm environments, cause sudden pain, or develop open sores, you should definitely consult a healthcare professional .
How to get rid of constantly cold hands and feet?
So how can I prevent my hands and feet from constantly being cold? The most effective way to keep them warm is to protect them from the cold in the first place. Especially in winter, putting on woolen gloves and thick socks before going outside is enough for many people. Holding a warm mug also helps warm hands that suddenly get cold.
But what if we forgot to wear gloves? Here, the strategy is to focus on warming the core of the body—our chest and back —rather than trying to warm our hands and feet. If the areas where our heart and internal organs are located are warm enough, our brain is less inclined to steal heat from our hands and feet. In other words, it can share the heat throughout our entire body! The key here lies in knowing when to remove thick layers of clothing. Sweat, by its very nature, causes heat to leave the body. So, the more we sweat, the more prone we become to feeling cold.
Finally, the most effective way to warm up the entire body is through movement . If we are walking, increasing our pace or jumping in place to warm up quickly helps warm us up by activating all our circulatory systems .
As with many health conditions, smoking plays a major role in causing persistently cold hands and feet. Quitting this habit, which has devastating effects on overall circulatory health, helps restore cardiovascular health.