Your body temperatures and the secrets it holds

Your body temperatures and the secrets it holds


Body temperature is one of four vital signs that medical personnel check when examining you, and for good reason. Your temperature speaks volumes about you, from whether you have an infection or illness to whether you’ve just eaten spicy food or are not telling the truth. More on that later.

Here are some fun facts about body temperature you can use to impress family and friends.

First, as we’ve all learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, a high temperature is a warning sign of trouble. If you think you may have been exposed to the coronavirus, check your temperature at least twice daily to see if you have a fever, defined as 100.4 degrees or higher. If you have a fever or other COVID-19 symptoms, contact a medical provider or your local health department.

Having said that, a fever is not always a problem. According to the Mayo Clinic, sometimes a fever is best left untreated because it can help your body fight off infection.

Your temperature is always changing in response to environmental conditions. It rises when you exercise. It’s higher in late afternoon and evening than in the morning. Normal body temperatures range from 97 degrees to 99, but babies and children run higher because their metabolism is more active.

A recent study found eating spicy food boosted participants’ core body temperatures but not their skin temperature. The scientists are not sure why this is.

And, yes, telling a lie can make you, or at least your nose, colder. Researchers in Spain using thermal imaging found that anxiety brought on by telling a lie caused the temperature of the nose to drop, while the areas around the forehead got hotter.

They dubbed it “the Pinocchio effect,’’ and that’s no lie.

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