Why Do We Shiver?

What You'll Learn

• Shivering is your body's way of making heat when you are cold
• Tiny muscles in your skin squeeze quickly to create warmth
• Shivering happens when your brain notices your body temperature dropping
• Moving your muscles makes heat — shivering is just lots of tiny fast muscle movements

Words to Know

Shiver

Body shaking when cold to make heat

"I shiver when I forget my coat."

Muscle

Stretchy body parts that move and make heat

"My muscles shook to warm me up."

Temperature

How hot or cold something is

"My body temperature dropped outside."

Heat

Warm energy from moving muscles

"Shivering makes heat."

Check What You Learned

Fun Facts

• Shivering is an involuntary muscle response to cold that generates heat

  Source: Mayo Clinic

• The hypothalamus in the brain acts as the body's thermostat, detecting temperature changes

  Source: Harvard Medical School

• Shivering can increase heat production up to 5 times the resting rate

  Source: Journal of Applied Physiology

• Muscle contractions during movement produce heat as a byproduct of metabolism

  Source: American Physiological Society

• Shivering stops when core body temperature returns to normal range

  Source: Mayo Clinic

• Wet skin and wind increase heat loss, triggering shivering faster

  Source: CDC