Cold hands and feet: reasons and solutions

Who has never felt cold hands and feet when walking down the street in the middle of winter? This is a well-known phenomenon, as our bodies respond to the lowest environmental temperature.

In the cold, the most superficial vessels that carry blood from the lungs to the rest of the body are narrowed. So, part of the blood that ran in them is diverted to more essential regions like the brain, heart and kidneys. Hence, hands and feet receive less blood flow and become cold.

Some people are more likely to have cold hands and feet. For example, in newborn babies, it is natural for rapid heat loss to occur, especially in these areas. This happens for several reasons. One of them is the fact that neonates have a body surface proportionally greater than their own weight, where there is a greater area of skin contact with the environment, and consequently faster heat loss.

Women, compared to men, have a lower proportion of muscle mass and body fat. Therefore, the chance of them complaining of cold hands and feet is higher.

What is strange, and definitely unpleasant, is feeling cold hands and feet outside of the contexts indicated above. And worse, more frequently than normal. When this occurs, it may indicate some dysfunction. So understand about the different causes and what you can do to fix the problem.