Cold? Warm?
Olivia Yi (G11)
Imagine a classroom. You are sitting in English class, your hands are sweating and your face begins to become wet and red. Your mask gets wet, your clothes get soggy and you can literally hear the breathing of your classmate sitting like 3cm away from you. When you raise your hand and ask “Mrs.__ Could you turn off the heater?” suddenly, you hear a loud voice saying “IT’S FREEZING!”
Almost all ISB students have experienced the AC during winter. No matter the weather, it could be almost said that ISB has only one season. So, why do some people wear shorts while some wear long- sleeves? Why does one feel more “cold” or “warm” than others?
1. Circulatory System
The circulatory system, or as the circulation of blood, affects people’s reactions to temperature. This system reacts differently to hormones and emotions almost like a human reflex. For example, when you are stressed, your nervous system starts to operate causing blood to “run” around your body as a response to “fight or flee” which heats up the human temperature. Remember when you had to speak in front of the class to give a presentation and your face felt red and burning? This is an example of your body responding to nervousness and the desire to escape. This is also why you feel more warm/hot if you eat spicy food or drink alcohol. On the other hand, if you are alone, depressed, or isolated, it could mean that your thermoregulation process becomes inactive which causes individuals to feel “cooler” than others. For others who feel really cold when preparing for a test, it shows that you are anxious which causes your blood to circulate more inefficiently.
2. Body Shape/Size
Bodyweight can sometimes be a reason for stress, but it can also be handy in cold weather.
Scientific researchers proved that the lighter the body mass was, the harder it was for the body to create sufficient body heat.
They are able to burn energy and create heat. Body fat makes one feel warmer which is also related to the age level. The reason why elders feel colder than young people is that as humans age, the fat layer grows thinner which makes it harder for elders to store body fat. It is also why people with insufficient body fat (due to medical conditions), experience more coldness than others with excessive fat storage.
3. Preference
Last but not least, people have differences in temperature tolerance due to possible underlying illnesses. One example would be hypothyroidism, a condition where the thyroid doesn’t create or release enough hormones into one’s bloodstream. On the other hand, if there are excessive thyroid hormones, it can make people sweat more than usual and feel warmer.
Being a part of an international community, you also see an “international” range of clothing, especially in winter. Some students are wearing 5 layers of coats, a hat, gloves, and a scarf while some are wearing shorts and a t-shirt. Besides the reasons stated above, the environment in which one grew up can also be a factor that influences one’s preference in temperature. China is a country where there are all four seasons. However, some countries only experience 1 - 2. For example, most countries in Southeast Asia are hot all year long while some countries like Sweden and Russia are freezing all year round. If someone came from Mali, the hottest region on Earth, they will be full-armored to the winter of China. On the other hand, if a student came from Russia, I guarantee that they will be wearing shorts all year round.
