Home
Weather London
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
Career
    Home / Weather News /

    Why do we shiver when we are cold?

07:00
30 January 2022

Weather myths
Why do we shiver when we are cold?

When the temperature drops the human body has a number of ingenious ways of helping combat the chill. One of which is to begin shivering, so does it actually work?

Shivering is an involuntary response created when nerve impulses are sent across the skeletal muscles to cause rapid contractions.

While it can feel uncomfortable it is an efficient way of warming your body temperature, studies suggest shivering can triple the body’s heat production.

You may also notice that your body:

  • Constricts blood vessels near the skin to retain heat
  • Decreases the rate of sweating
  • Increases the metabolic rate
More on the topic
Sunset views mark the start of the month. Your weather - Your shots. . . Sunday, 4 October 2026
Split image showing offshore wind turbines beneath a pink-purple sky and a fiery red-orange sunset above silhouetted rooftops.
Sunday, 4 October 2026

Your weather - Your shots

Sunset views mark the start of the month
Turbulence in the eastern Mediterranean. Floods and landslides. . . Friday, 2 October 2026
Weather Radar showing a low-pressure system over the eastern Mediterranean
Friday, 2 October 2026

Floods and landslides

Turbulence in the eastern Mediterranean
Severe weather in holiday spots. Crete and Spain. . . Thursday, 1 October 2026
Weather maps showing the risk of storms and flooding in Greece, as well as heavy rain and thunderstorms on Spain’s east coast.
Thursday, 1 October 2026

Crete and Spain

Severe weather in holiday spots
All weather news
This might also interest you
New records for England and Wales. Broken again tomorrow?. . . Thursday, 25 June 2026
Temperature map of southwest Britain on 25.06 showing extreme heat across southern Wales and southwest England, with Bute Park in Cardiff highlighted at 34.2°C and Yeovilton at 36.4°C amid widespread deep red heat zones.
Thursday, 25 June 2026

Broken again tomorrow?

New records for England and Wales
Flooding, gales, and heavy snow. Storm Chandra. . . Tuesday, 27 January 2026
Split image showing aerial flooding in a town with muddy water covering roads on the left, and a rural road on the right blocked by heavy snowfall with vans stopped and a person walking in snow.
Tuesday, 27 January 2026

Storm Chandra

Flooding, gales, and heavy snow
Historic Storm Éowyn arrives. On this day.... . . Saturday, 24 January 2026
Split image showing a person in a yellow jacket struggling against strong winds and heavy rain on a street at night on the left, and an Irish wind forecast map on the right with red and purple shading, gusts up to 75 mph, and a wind warning icon, divided by a curved white line.
Saturday, 24 January 2026

On this day...

Historic Storm Éowyn arrives
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwittertikToklinkList