Why, when our body temperatures are 98.6 degrees, does 90 degree weather seem hot to us?

Answer 1

Our body is constantly producing heat, just by living. The normal internal temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, but the skin temp is lower. The skin is constantly releasing heat into the air in order to keep us from getting too hot.

Our comfort zone is actually our sensation of the RATE of heat dissipation. The rate at which our internal heat can be removed is directly related to the temperature and humidity of our surroundings.

When the outside temperature goes up, the rate of heat dissipation goes down, and we feel like it is hot. If the humidity also goes up, the efficiency of the our heat dissipation goes down and we feel more uncomfortable.

We need to sweat to let evaporation take place to remove our body's internal heat. when we sweat too much and lose both water and salt, our body's temperature regulating system goes haywire and our internal heat starts to build up. This is called 'heatstroke.' It is actually our own internal heat that will kill us if we don't drink more water and take some salt. that is why a person suffering heatstroke can die even if they are taken inside and rest in a cool room. Their natural heat reduction system is not working and their body's own heat is still building up!

;-D Drink a lot of water, and don't forget to eat a healthy diet including salt!

Answer 2

Our bodies are trying to shed heat (so we don't die of fever) and the ambient air being at the same temperature of our bodies (or close to it) makes it more difficult to shed heat. Then we need to have air circulation.

That's why the breeze of a fan feels cooler even though it may actually be hotter. The rapid flow of air removes more heat from us faster even though the volume of air passing over us each second may only be able to absorb a tiny amount of additional heat.

The fact that air can absorb additional heat will enable us to survive even when the air temperature is above 98.6 degrees. Also, we sweat, so in addition to cooling by convection, we also lose heat by evaporation.

Answer 3

Because we need to be constantly cooled by our environment, so we dont turn into 'fire' . ..if the external environment is hotter than our natural body temperature, we start to cook. Could that cause fever from a distance? When the environmental temperature starts to reach our body temp, we get a warning feeling of being too hot so we can have time to seek shade or some other method of cooling

Answer 4

Your body generates heat and it just happens that at 72 degrees, we feel the most comfortable because we are more regulated. (This is sort of the same thing as men's testicles...how they drop when it's hot to keep them cooler and raise when it's cold to warm them up.) When we get to a hotten temperature than our "comfort zone" we sweat. The evaporation from the sweat causes a cooling feeling which...cools us down! Have you ever sweated a lot and went into a cold room? Brrrrrr!!!

Answer 5

It depends on what weather your body is used to. I grew up in a place where the hot climate is the norm so 90 is just about gardening weather. It's just like New Yorkers coming down to Florida in December walking around in shorts and tank tops while floridians are wearing sweaters and stuff.

Answer 6

The body is like a car engine, constantly expelling heat while it runs. As the outside temperature rises, the ability to expel the heat lessens. Thus, the air seems hotter, especially on humid days, when our natural cooling system (sweat) can't operate as well.

Answer 7

because you body cannot evaporate perspiration as easily at 90 degrees as it can at 80 degrees. The closer the air temperature is to our body temperature, the less efficient our natural cooling system (evaporating sweat) becomes and so we feel warmer.

Answer 8

Because the 98.6 is internal, and the weather is external two different things.

Answer 9

Yes it is hot as a mow phucka..lol.. esp when it's humid outside.

Answer 10

Because it IS hot.