If my body temperature is 98.6 degrees, why is 90 degrees so damn hot?

Answer 1

I am an MD. It has more to do with humidity than with the temperature. We humans originally evolved on the semi-arid high plains of East Africa where the temperature rarely drops below 75 nor ever goes over 85, and where the humidity is low and there is always a light breeze blowing. This is ideal for us in a nudist environment. But when the humidity rises and the air becomes stagnant, our sweat cannot evaporate fast enough to allow for our metabolic heat to dissipate, thus we become uncomfortably hot. To solve the problem, I would recommend removing all of your clothes and getting a fan to blow onto you. You will find the experience much more comfortable, at least in a temperature sense.

Answer 2

Your core temperature is 98.6 or so, but your extremities are not. It would take a lot of work to get your whole body that warm, and only our most sensitive organs need it, so the body sensibly lets the extremities cool a little.

I'm not 100% sure how the relative temperature of your skin and something you touch affects what the touch/pain sensors in your skin report to your brain. But generally objects that are cooler than our core will feel quite warm, despite in theory being cooler than us.

However, if you're asking about temperature, and why you feel hot when the temperature is 90, it's because your body produces heat and has to get rid of it. Like any 'machine', we don't convert energy perfectly and we don't use it perfectly - heat is given off and must be dissipated. (we lose much of our body heat through our head, not just because it's at the top, but because our brain is busy and produces heat)

As the temperature rises, it's harder to get rid of this excess heat. Hence you feel hot.

Answer 3

Your perception of heat is driven by the fact that you are designed with the expectation of LOSING thermal energy at a reasonable rate.

Normal body temperature varies from about 96F to 100.5F during different times of the day and different activities. You generate body heat by muscular activity, for instance--which is why you shiver when you're cold--and as a byproduct of your body's metabolic activity. If you're generating heat a load faster than you lose it, which would usually be the case at 90F, you'll feel warm. However, with a good breeze, wet skin and very low humidity, you'll feel fairly comfy at 90F, especially if you're just sitting there enjoying the weather.

Hope that gives you a flavor of what's really going on!

Answer 4

Your own metabolism produces heat. You generally need to rid your body of heat through sweating. Your sweating is less effective when it is humid as it does not evaporate as well. Touch a plate from the kitchen. It is as hot as the room but you feel it cold because it takes in your heat - it has a higher heat capacity. Your body also has a higher heat capacity than air so if you don't sweat the air will pass it's energy to you.

Answer 5

In order to work properly, your body need to release a lot of heat all the time, because that heat is one of the byproduct of your methabolism. When the atmosphere is hotter than your body, it takes an extra work for your body to get rid of that heat, and thats why you start sweating. So it is much, much better for your body when you are in a atmosphere slightly colder than your body. Otherwise, it will tell you is too hot out there!!

Answer 6

body temp. is in degrees fahrenheit and not in degrees.so the term 90 degree temp.is so damn hot.

Answer 7

Your core body temperature is 98.whatever, but your skin is much cooler.

Answer 8

because your internal temp. and your skin temp. are 2 different things. your skin has to stay cooler.