Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I mean, in this same forum there are people giving A grades to KUWAIT, in where temps easily exceed 50 celsius in the summer, and are above 45 celsius for endless months, and other people (like me) who starts feeling dizzy and faint-like at "only" 30 celsius, and many other examples.
What causes this? Is genes? Can bodys react so different to the same thing? Has sweating have to do with this?
I mean, i know i dont sweat much compare to other people, maybe this is what causes the heat not being able to evaporate and thats how i feel so sick in hot weather??
Same with the cold: some people feel comfortable and walk around in shorts at 5 celsius (Patricius Maximus, probably) and others start shivering at 15c.
What causes this differences in how the body reacts?
What makes the heat so phisically intolerable to some people and so comfortable to others?
same with cold.
I mean, i see the Kuwait temps, with lows in the 30s (celsius!!!) and highs near 50c! And i think is totally deadly, i mean, i know i could completely drop dead for being a couple of minutes outdoors in Kuwait summer. But then people say this climate is awesome.
What causes our bodies to react so different to the same thing?
In summary, humans acclimate to heat in a rapid and effective manner.
Acclimatization involves increased sweating which reduces body temperature
and circulatory strain. The stimulus is elevated body temperature for short
periods over several consecutive days. In addition to a higher rate of perspira*
tion, acclimatization also involves a greater sensitivity to environmental heat,
as evidenced by the lower temperature at which sweating begins, as well as a
redistribution of recruitment patterns and a greater sodium and chloride eco*
nomy.
Anecdotal observations may cause us to question the idea that acclimatiza*
tion leads to increased sweating because newcomers to the topics seem to
perspire more than indigenes. Newcomers are most likely storing more heat
and beginning to perspire at higher skin and core temperatures than natives,
hence they have greater heat stores to lose. This requires more perspiration
once sweating begins.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AGE
There is a close relationship between an individual's age and heat
tolerance.[...]
Neonates are extremely vulnerable to extreme heat because their sweating capacity is
limited. All sweat glands are formed at birth, but many are inactive. Hey &
Katz (43) estimate that a newborn's sweat glands produce only one third the
adult levels of perspiration, even though they are more densely packed. This
reduced capacity puts them at risk for heat-related problems.[...]
Older adults are at highest risk for heat-induced death (24). The major
problem seems to be lack of acclimatization and reduced physical activity in the
elderly. The elderly who maintain physical condition fare as well as middle*
aged men in moderate heat (19, 82). It is only at high It?vels of physical activity
in the heat that the fit and healthy older individual may be less tolerant (82).
Quote:
Originally Posted by SEX DIFFERENCES
A large number of studies have compared men and
women in humid and dry heat with the general conclusion that both sexes
respond to heat and acclimatize in the same manner, but women tend to begin
sweating at a higher skin temperature, sweat less, and store more heat (30,91,
108). Weinman et al (104) reported that at equal exercise intensity active
women had better performance in humid heat than inactive men. When the
sexes are matched in terms of physical fitness and level of work, there are only
trivial differences in the heat (45,49, 72). Horstman & Christ�nsen (45) have
presented evidence that active women may acclimatize at a faster rate, but
again the difference seems trivial. Thus, with respect to heat tolerance, there
seems to be no important difference between the sexes if physical condition is
equal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Physical activity leads to physical fitness which is
closely related to heat tolerance. Well-trained men more easily tol�rate heat,
and training actually enhances the level of heat tolerance (33, 74). Training is
beneficial even if it takes place in a temperate environment with no ambient
heat load (75). The opposite is also true-acclimatization to heat has a positive
effect on work performance and improves maximum work capacity (92). As we
have noted previously, "Physical fitness and heat tolerance both involve greater
sweating and improvement in cardiovascular function so they probably cannot
be separated" (36).
Other factors listed are:
BODY SHAPE AND PROPORTION (those with longer limbs have an advantage in mild heat, but a disadvantage in more intense heat)
BODY FAT (great factor)
SKIN COLOR (small, but noticeable factor)
ETHNICITY (same as skin color, but the possibility that cultural differences (e.g. drinking more) play a role in this exists)
Last edited by Nivalis; 08-29-2012 at 09:07 AM..
Reason: body shape and proportion edit
I think there are psychological elements at play here as well as the physiological components mentioned above.
I love sunny, and mild to warm conditions. I do wonder whether this relates to summer holidays as a child being outside or at the beach, so a positive association.
Cold, grey and wet conditions mean I am less likely to be outside, and I for one, resent being stuck inside for too long!
I think there are psychological elements at play here as well as the physiological components mentioned above.
I love sunny, and mild to warm conditions. I do wonder whether this relates to summer holidays as a child being outside or at the beach, so a positive association.
Cold, grey and wet conditions mean I am less likely to be outside, and I for one, resent being stuck inside for too long!
Yes. None of my positive memorable childhood experiences relate to feeling cold, or getting rained on. They all involve sun and warmth.
As sunshine and dryness are the most important factors for me, when I look outdoors at daybreak or just after, my first thoughts are the clarity of the sky. I don't consider the temperature until I go out later - but by then I know what to expect anyway.
Most of my childhood memories contain little sun or warmth.. it's funny, because I do like warm sunshine as long as it isn't hot. One memory that sticks in my mind was when I was younger, it was pouring, me and my sister ran outside down the road getting wet with cars splashing us.. that was a fun day.
Nearly all of my childhood summer holiday memories in particular are of hot, sunny weather, I think I often got lucky.
France August 1995, that was a great month down there, avg. high was 30°C where I was, with wonderfully mild nights. I also got lucky camping in southern England in 1996, and then in Jersey in August 1997. Perfect weather in all these holidays.
Normal summers in Windsor, my former home town, were generally warm and sunny too. My memories of the warmer sunnier weather are more positive than ones I have of rainy cloudy or cold weather.
Yes, childhood memories probably count too. I never went on vacations, but I loved snow days. Some of my more vivid memories involve going to sleep with the ground bare and waking up to a winter wonderland.
I've spent all my life in warm climates and as a kid I used to spend the summer holidays in Singapore, so while I'm accustomed and fine with the heat I think it's left me yearning to experience climates which see proper winters. I seem to cope fine when visiting cooler climes so my preferences aren't really related to physical comfort for most places away from the extremes of temperature.
Static, predictable weather annoys me more than anything else.
One of my favourite childhood holiday memories is of going house boating on the Murray River in Mildura in January. Wonderfully hot days, rarely ever saw a cloud, hot evenings and nice mild humid dawns that gave way to a strong sun.
Went back there again on a houseboat in January 2010 for 5 days. 36-37C every day, DID NOT SEE ONE FREAKING SHRED OF CLOUD THE ENTIRE TIME. Evenings were nice and warm, mornings mild and damp, and the humid warmth giving way to dry heat as the sun rose was beautiful, only regret is not staying a couple of extra days as the day we left was forecast to reach 45C
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
