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Chris
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09 Feb 2005, 10:58 pm

There's one thing I do not understand: Our normal body temperature is 98.6 degrees Farenheit, or 37 degrees Celcius. Why do people complain when the temperature outside goes really high when our normal body temperature soars up near that area? It doesn't seem rational that bodies of such warm temperature shouldn't be able to tolerate equivelent temperatures outdoors. Is there a reason as to why this is?



Scoots5012
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10 Feb 2005, 12:04 am

It all has to do with how the body works. Every living cell uses sugar in your body as an energy source to do what ever job it was designed to do. The consumption of sugar generates heat as a by-product

And the conversion of sugar to energy/work is why the body is ~98 degress. When you run or perform physical activity, your creating a lot of energy with creates a lot of heat, the heat gets spread thru your body by your blood.

That's why we sweat, to cool off that blood that has been heated by our bodies at work. That cool blood then cools off the rest of the body as flows thru

If a body at work can't cool off, a persons can suffer heat stroke where the body goes above 104 degrees, once you get to that point, damage starts to occur to the body and it can no longer regualate it's own temprature.

At 108 degrees, the body shut's it's self down and death occurs.

That's why people complain about the heat, it's an NT response to a built in self-defense mechanisim in the body where we tend to get lethargic when it's hot out. Simply put, it's to keep us from overheating


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hale_bopp
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10 Feb 2005, 12:12 am

Because then it would be harder for heat to escape. We are constantly losing heat (energy), and to stay at that temprature there has to be somewhere for excess heat (energy) to go.

Heat moves, coldness is just lack of heat. Heat will always move to somewhere "cooler". If the temperature is close to our bodies less heat will be transfered.

Then we overheat.



FuzzyChickens
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10 Feb 2005, 2:02 am

Yeah... the human body produces X amount of heat per time unit, so it likes to maintain a constant rate of heat loss... which means a constant temperature difference between itself and its surroundings.

Because water is so much more effective at sapping the heat from you, 20-degree water feels much colder than 20-degree air.



Feste-Fenris
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10 Feb 2005, 12:29 pm

Simple Answer: Human beings have fat and wear clothing (hopefully)... because of this the body insulates itself making it comfortable around 20 degrees celsius...



Chris
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10 Feb 2005, 12:53 pm

I've also noticed something else: Neurotypicals sometimes make stereotypes and generalizations about temperature. For example, when I tell people at home about my experiences at Camp Kodiak, a camp for children with mild disabilities,(which is very near the village of McKellar, Ontario, Canada) they sometimes say things like:
"Weren't you cold?"
"Did it snow every day there?"
The answer to both of those is no. It was NOT cold in the least, and out of all 5 years I've been going to that camp it has NEVER snowed while I'm there. In fact, a typical annoucement from a counselor during lunch would be: "Okay, there's just one more very important announcement. It is 31 degrees outside. That is very, very hot. Remember to carry full water bottles, wear hats, and apply sunscreen before leaving your cabin."

I can't see why NTs can be so prejudicial about things like that. It makes me feel sorry for them.



Rekkr
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10 Feb 2005, 4:07 pm

Weather doesn't bother me much. I am the kind of person who wears short sleeves in the winter and sweat shirts when it is snowing. Heat bothers me more than cold...



ghotistix
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10 Feb 2005, 4:22 pm

Rekkr wrote:
Weather doesn't bother me much. I am the kind of person who wears short sleeves in the winter and sweat shirts when it is snowing. Heat bothers me more than cold...
Me too! There's nothing quite like walking to class in 10 degree temperatures in a tshirt and jeans, grinning like an idiot and commenting on the weather to everyone else around in bulky winter coats. I get some weird looks, and I don't care :lol:



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10 Feb 2005, 7:37 pm

ghotistix wrote:
Rekkr wrote:
Weather doesn't bother me much. I am the kind of person who wears short sleeves in the winter and sweat shirts when it is snowing. Heat bothers me more than cold...
Me too! There's nothing quite like walking to class in 10 degree temperatures in a tshirt and jeans, grinning like an idiot and commenting on the weather to everyone else around in bulky winter coats. I get some weird looks, and I don't care :lol:


With me its the opposite - I always walk around with sweatshirts and coats on really boiling hot days and get a lot of similarly funny looks - I usually dress the same all year 'round.


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hale_bopp
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10 Feb 2005, 7:48 pm

I really can't bear humidity and heat..

I can tolerate wearing a singlet top all through winter but I get so, so uncomfortable in the summer heat.



FuzzyChickens
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10 Feb 2005, 9:35 pm

For me, summer means only one pair of pants. And I live in "warm, sunny" California. I just love heat.

Chris wrote:
I've also noticed something else: Neurotypicals sometimes make stereotypes and generalizations about temperature.


That happens to the "crazies" too :)