The “always freezing” club (and yes, it’s real)
Okay, so here’s the thing. If you’re the person who’s wrapped in a blanket while everyone else is sweating, welcome to the club — the “Why am I always cold?” squad. I swear, some people just exist in a constant state of mild shivering, like a walking popsicle. I used to think it was just me being dramatic, but turns out, nope, there are real reasons behind it. Some are kinda boring science stuff, others are actually pretty surprising.
The blood flow business
Ever noticed how your hands and feet are always freezing first? That’s usually because your body’s a bit selfish — it sends warm blood to your important parts (like your heart, lungs, brain) and sorta forgets about your fingers and toes. If your circulation isn’t great, that cold feeling sticks around like that one friend who never leaves the party.
I once worked in this office where the AC was set to “Antarctica,” and I used to wear socks under my shoes. My boss laughed, but I’m pretty sure I was the only one avoiding frostbite that year.
The thyroid might be slacking off
Here’s something I didn’t know until I googled it at 2 a.m. one night (as one does): your thyroid is like your body’s thermostat. When it’s not producing enough hormones (a condition called hypothyroidism), your metabolism slows down — and boom, you’re cold even in July. It’s like your body’s battery is running low but nobody told you. A lot of people miss this because the symptoms are sneaky — tiredness, hair loss, weight gain, and of course, feeling like you live in a fridge.
Maybe you’re just low on iron
Iron’s job is to carry oxygen in your blood. If you don’t have enough, your cells get less oxygen, and you end up with poor heat distribution. Translation: you’re cold because your body’s basically bad at heating itself.
This one hit me in college. I was vegetarian and thought eating only salads made me “healthy.” Then my doctor told me I was iron deficient. After that, I started eating spinach like Popeye — not kidding.
Skinny people problems (kind of)
Let’s be honest — if you don’t have much body fat, your body doesn’t have great insulation. Think of fat as your personal blanket. Without it, you lose heat faster. I had a friend who was super fit, like abs-for-days fit, and she’d literally carry a sweater everywhere because she got cold drinking cold coffee. So yeah, that “fit life” might come with a side of goosebumps.
Hormones are drama queens too
Women especially know this pain — your hormone levels can mess with your internal temperature. During your menstrual cycle or pregnancy, estrogen levels go up and down, which can make your body temperature drop. Ever wonder why you suddenly grab a hoodie mid-afternoon even though it’s 30°C? Blame hormones. They’re dramatic like that.
Low blood sugar, low heat — fun combo
Skipping meals or eating only junk can crash your blood sugar. When that happens, your body starts saving energy (aka slows metabolism), and you end up cold. Basically, your body goes into low-power mode, like a phone on 1%. So yeah, that one skipped lunch might make your fingers freeze later.
Could be anxiety, honestly
No one talks about this enough. Anxiety can actually make you feel cold — your blood flow changes, your breathing pattern gets weird, and your body temperature drops. I remember once before a presentation, I was shaking and my hands were like ice. Not because of the AC, but because I was nervous as hell.
You might just not move enough
Let’s face it, a lot of us sit all day. If your job involves a desk and a screen (hi, same), your circulation gets lazy. Movement = warmth. Even small stuff like stretching or walking helps your body generate heat. When I started doing short walks every two hours, my “I’m freezing” problem got slightly less annoying. Slightly.
The weird part: genetics and habits
Yep, some people are just built this way. Studies show that cold sensitivity can be partly genetic. Plus, if you’ve always lived in warm places, your body doesn’t bother learning how to handle cold well. I grew up in Chennai and then moved to Delhi — the first winter felt like I was being punished by nature.
Social media knows the struggle
Go on TikTok or X (formerly Twitter), and you’ll find thousands of people ranting about being cold “for no reason.” There’s literally a meme that says, “I have two moods: freezing or sweating.” And honestly? Same. Some users even share hacks like drinking ginger tea, wearing thermal leggings under jeans, or sleeping with a heating pad (which, by the way, actually helps).
Lesser-known weird facts
A small study I stumbled on said that people who sleep poorly often feel colder the next day because their body temperature regulation gets messed up. Another one said that dehydration — yup, just not drinking enough water — can also make you cold since water helps regulate temperature. So if you’re shivering and your last glass of water was 5 hours ago, that might be your answer.
So, what to do if you’re a permanent popsicle
Eat iron-rich foods (not just spinach, but lentils, eggs, chicken, etc.), stay hydrated, check your thyroid if it’s been bothering you for a while, and honestly — move around a bit. If none of that helps, get checked. Sometimes it’s just how your body works, but sometimes it’s your body trying to tell you something important.