Anxiety and Feeling Cold: What This Means For Your Mental Health

At this time of year, we associate the word ‘cold’ with feeling miserable and wanting to huddle up in a blanket. However, if you experience cold sensations regularly or feel anxious when exposed to cooler temperatures, it’s essential to know what this might mean for your mental health.

Although some people feel cold more often than others as part of their normal bodily processes, feeling cold all the time — or being highly anxious about being exposed to cool temperatures — can also be indicators of something deeper going on in your mind and body.

What does it mean to feel cold when you have anxiety?

Feeling cold when you have anxiety is a sign that your autonomic nervous system (ANS) has been affected. The ANS is responsible for all your body’s involuntary bodily processes, including your heart rate, digestion, immune system, and temperature regulation.

When you have anxiety, your autonomic nervous system gets thrown out of whack, and you can experience cold sensations more often. Your body doesn’t get enough blood flow to the rest of your organs and tissues, which could lead to you feeling cold. At the same time, your parasympathetic nervous system also gets thrown out of whack, and you may feel constipated or experience digestive issues, get headaches or feel like your head is full of fog.

Feeling cold is one of the most common signs of anxiety. Cold hands, feet, and teeth, feeling stiff, or having a shivery sensation throughout the body are all signs that your anxiety might be getting the best of you.

What does anxiety cause in the body?

• Anxiety can cause you to feel physically and mentally exhausted.
• You might lose interest in activities that you used to enjoy.
• You might find it difficult to concentrate or focus on your work.

What does depression cause in the body?

When you’re experiencing depression, your body doesn’t produce enough serotonin and dopamine, the neurotransmitters responsible for regulating your mood and energy levels.

As a result, you might experience some of the following bodily sensations:

• Feeling very tired or like you have no energy to get through the day.
• Feeling achy or experiencing pain in your muscles or joints.
• Having trouble sleeping through the night.
• Feeling self-critical or like you’re hard on yourself.
• Feeling unmotivated to do anything.

Feeling cold when you have anxiety or depression is a perfectly normal reaction. However, you should be sure to talk to a medical professional if your symptoms are getting in the way of your day-to-day life. If you’re experiencing these sensations, it could be a sign that you’re having an anxiety attack or you’re experiencing severe depression.

It is entirely normal to feel cold when you have anxiety or depression. For others, it could signify something more severe, like hypothermia. Contact a medical professional if you’re feeling excessively cold, especially shivering or shaking.

This article is written by a therapist from the Sensera app. Sensera is the #1 mental health app for women. Deal with mental issues in 10 minutes a day. Improve your mood and relationships. Download now to get happy!