Feeling the cold more as you get older?

[Bearbonesnorm]

I've noticed that as I'm getting older I'm starting to feel the cold much more. The amount of insulation I need to wear and sleep in to stay warm is quite a bit more than it used to be ... is this something anyone else has noticed or is it just me being soft?

[Mike]

Softy here also. Yep, i defo find myself waring more clothes now to sleep in and even when i ride. Could it be that if you ride alot you burn more fat so loosing this causes the cold to move in quicker? I find once the cold has found its way in then its alot harder for me now to get warm again. Maybe someone else can shed some light on this. Maybe we should put on a little weight. I also seem to catch colds and bug alot easier the fitter i am??

[Solo]

Define 'older' before I embarrass myself

[summittoppler]

Funnily enough I've been thinking the same the last two winters. Body, legs + arms are fine but my head seems to feel the cold more. I haven't changed my helmet which would have been an obvious one. I now find a skull cap has to be worn on most winter rides now compared to a few years ago, and no I haven't suddenly gone bald

[Zippy]

Yeah, have to watch my knees in the cold a bit more....

[composite]

Well only this year have my feet suddenly started feeling the cold and it's not even been that cold this winter.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Define 'older' before I embarrass myself

Getting past 40 for me ....... so last 2 or 3 years. I don't think I'll ever be able to use a summer sleeping bag again in the UK

[Farawayvisions]

Lol! Colder as you get older? I felt the cold all my life and women feel the cold more. So when I bought a sleeping bag (-7C) for use at zero, I was just about ok and I was fully clothed. I wore 4 merino wool layers today and a merino skull cap when out on a ride in blue skies and sunshine. I felt a wee bit nippy when I stopped for a cup of tea, but that was probably due to the embarrassment factor of going over the handlebars when riding through the village. Well there you go! So my response is NO, I do not get colder as I get older, I feel the cold the same now as before, I simply realised (after the age of 40) that I prefer to be warm rather than cold.

[mountainbaker]

Yeah Stu, definitely noticing it as I get older. I use to wear t-shirt and hoodie whatever the weather, all winter, in my early 20s. Now mid 30s, I feel it a lot more. Could also be to do with ~20kg of weight loss in past 14 months.

[Cheeky Monkey]

It's basic anatomy principles. Being a PORG you've got a surface area to volume ratio equivalent to a field mouse and therefore loose heat more easily and don't eat enough to keep fueled.*







* this application of vaguely remembered biology A levels may not be strictly true .

[Bearbonesnorm]

It's basic anatomy principles. Being a PORG you've got a surface area to volume ratio equivalent to a field mouse and therefore loose heat more easily and don't eat enough to keep fueled.

Surely a smaller surface area means I'll radiate less heat and suffer less convective heat loss?

[Ray Young]

It's basic anatomy principles. Being a PORG you've got a surface area to volume ratio equivalent to a field mouse and therefore loose heat more easily and don't eat enough to keep fueled.

Surely a smaller surface area means I'll radiate less heat and suffer less convective heat loss?

No, cheeky monkey has it right, the smaller the body the higher the metabolic rate in order to maintain heat.

[johnnystorm]

It's basic anatomy principles. Being a PORG you've got a surface area to volume ratio equivalent to a field mouse and therefore loose heat more easily and don't eat enough to keep fueled.

Surely a smaller surface area means I'll radiate less heat and suffer less convective heat loss?

No, cheeky monkey has it right, the smaller the body the higher the metabolic rate in order to maintain heat.

The crucial bit is smaller surface area to volume ratio

Same principle behind French Fries being less healthy than normal chips. For the amount of chip there is a greater proportion of surface area so more fat retained. Or chips going cold while a baked potato centre stays hot as the surface of the sun for longer. The answer to staying warm is therefore to deep fry yourself in batter before getting into your bag. Or something like that.

[FLV]

Stu,

Didnt you mess around with diet at the start of the winter?

Are you still eating 'differently' ?
Lost weight?

It can all effect body heat I think

[Bearbonesnorm]

Didnt you mess around with diet at the start of the winter?

That was last winter ... I might have done myself some longterm damage with that little experiment though

See what you mean about the surface area / volume ratio and chips ... in all reality I'm sure it must be to do with general changes in metabolism and possibly even hormone levels changing with age ... or I could just be turning softer

[voodoo_simon]

I've always felt the cold, prefer nothing more than 30c heart to ride my bike in.

If I don't wear merino wool in my day to day life, then I really feel the cold Not too bad on the bike but I have to wear ski gloves for my commute (and even then I feel nippy). Guess I'm not suited to the cold or I'm a wimp

[thomthumb]

Not related to ageing but recently suffered a bout of (mild) hypothermia after cycling through flood water for a bit too long!

Since then i've noticed the cold a lot more - and been more sensitive to cold. I used to start a ride and deal with being cold for a few miles - warm up and be comfortable. recently i've been wearing a buff and then taking it off as being cold for 10 mins is too much to deal with.

Strange!

[Dan_K]

Didnt you mess around with diet at the start of the winter?

That was last winter ... I might have done myself some longterm damage with that little experiment though

I remember you doing some weird dietary stuff. What's it done to you?
I swear sugary bike fuel has ruined me.

[Gilbo71]

It could be down to loosing a bit of muscle mass as you get older as they create the heat and fat insulates you. When you combine this with longer rides which tend to break muscle down and burn some fat as fuel so its only natural that you feel the cold a little more. One way to combat this it is to include some form of weight lifting/circuits into your training to either add or at least maintain your current muscle mass.

[psling]

I don't really notice much difference day to day or riding as I get older (56) but I have noticed a difference getting through the night. I generally need to insulate more to sleep and the other thing I notice is that I feel pressure points as I (try to) sleep, especially on the hip if I end up lying on my side. I've always done my best to get into my sleeping bag warm rather than get in cold and try to warm up.

[Ray Young]

At 55 I can't say I have noticed any difference. My problem tends to be worrying about getting cold through the night (in the cold months at least) so I over compensate and overdress. Then I wake up in the middle of the night too hot and have too take stuff off.