Why do we shiver?
Its well-known that we shiver when we are cold but why do we shiver? Is there a specific and biological reason why we shiver?The answer is yes! The human body needs to be at a constant temperature of 37 degrees Celsius in order for us to work properly. Your brain has a gland called the hypothalamus gland which helps control your body temperature. In order to prevent things such as hypothermia and other diseases, your brain must be very careful with your body temperature. Your skin contains receptor cells which send messages to your brain telling your brain if your body temperature to go up or down and uses different tacts to do this.
Shivering is a tactic your brain uses in order to keep your body temperature at 37 degrees Celsius. In order to shiver, your muscles contract and relax very quickly repeated times. Twitching enables your muscles to produce heat which will in turn make your body temperature warmer. Your brain sends signals and some of these signals may also go to your jaw which is why, sometimes, your teeth start to chatter as your whole body are getting signals and some may get sent to your jaw. When your muscles produce heat, your muscles release the hormone Irisn which helps to heat your core temperature back to 37 degrees Celsius.
Some may argue that shivering is the opposite as sweating, which in fact, it is! Instead of helping you cool down like sweating does, shivering helps you warm up meaning that it helps your core temperature heat up.
This is why, next time you feel shivers down your spine, it may mean that you should grab another sweater and sit by a fire!
Resources:
http://www.livescience.com/32475-why-do-we-shiver-when-cold.html
http://blog.zocdoc.com/shiver-cold-weird-science-daily-life/
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