Shake, Rattle, and Shiver

Hey 👋 TooCool Crew,

Happy Monday, you Subzero Superstars!

Ever wondered why, when the mercury dips, your body transforms into a human maraca?

Let's get science-y and take a frosty dive into the body's response to the cold…

Welcome to the wonderful world of shivering!

🥶 Why do we Shiver?

When you’re braving the chill, your body starts performing its own version of the "Macarena" to generate heat.

This involuntary muscle contraction is known as shivering, and it's essentially your body's "central heating" kicking in to raise your core temperature.

🤷‍♂️ But how does it work?

Shivering begins in your brain, the command center of your body. When you're cold, your body sends distress signals to the brain's hypothalamus, the thermostat of your body. It's here that the decision is made: it's time to warm things up.

Think of shivering as a master conductor summoning an orchestra of muscles to perform a heat-producing symphony. Your muscles start contracting and relaxing at a rapid pace, a movement so fast it looks like trembling. But it's not all for show; these quick muscle contractions generate heat, a process known as thermogenesis.

Not those kind of bats! 🦇

🤩 Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT)
AKA: Brown Fat

Deep within your body, nestled between your muscles and beneath your skin, lies a type of fat that's on our side and is produced when we practice deliberate cold exposure.

This supercharged fat cell gets its name from the high concentration of mitochondria (the cell's energy factories), which give it its brown color.

When you shiver, your BAT springs into action, burning calories to keep you warm.

Talk about turning up the heat!

🦸‍♀️ Shivering: The Unsung Hero

Shivering is a full-blown metabolic powerhouse. Ramping up your body's heat production up to FIVE times the normal rate!

Plus, it's a sneaky way to burn some extra calories and boost your metabolism.

So next time you feel the icy sting of the cold, remember that every shiver, every goosebump, is a part of your body's finely tuned response to the cold. You're not merely enduring the cold; you're harnessing it, shaping it into a force for good.

Embrace the chill, cherish the shivers, and remember - you're not just surviving, you're thriving!

🙌 Looking for some inspiration? 

@papas.azwell

Part 15 | Wish i knew this earlier in life!😱 #coldplunge #coldshower #icebath #andrewhuberman #wimhof

Stay cool, TooCool

Lance Marks
Co-founder @ Toocool.io