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
Split image showing a bright rainbow above a residential street on the left and a dramatic ocean sunrise with glowing clouds and reflections on the sea on the right.
Sunday, 24 May 2026

Your weather - Your shots

From unsettled to warm and toasty
Heat map centered on London showing intense red temperatures across southeast England, with Heathrow highlighted at 33.5°C and nearby cities around 30–32°C.
Monday, 25 May 2026

33.5 °C and still rising

Hottest May day on record
Split graphic showing a warm temperature map of the UK on the left with temperatures reaching 30°C near London, and a person applying sunscreen in bright sunshine on the right beside a thermometer icon.
Thursday, 21 May 2026

Combating UV

Staying sun safe as heat rises
All weather news
This might also interest you
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
Illustration of white and yellow fireworks on a blue background.
Wednesday, 31 December 2025

Hello 2026

Happy New Year
UK temperature map dated 14.02 showing widespread subzero values in blue shading, with readings such as −4 in Glasgow, −3 in Dublin, and −2 in London, alongside a blue thermometer icon.
Friday, 13 February 2026

Icy conditions

A frozen start to the weekend
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