Why some people are always colder than others

If you're always the one in a jumper while everyone else is in t-shirts — you're not imagining it. Some people genuinely run colder than others, and there's real biology behind it.

Here's what's actually going on, and what helps.

It's mostly about how your body holds and produces heat

Body temperature regulation is a constant background process. Your body is always either generating heat (through metabolism, movement, or shivering) or losing it (through your skin, breath, and extremities). The balance between those two — and how efficiently each happens — varies a lot from person to person.

If you sit closer to the "loses heat easily" end of that spectrum, you'll feel cold in rooms where someone next to you feels fine. That's not preference, it's physiology.

Common reasons people run cold

Lower body fat or lean body composition. Body fat is one of the body's main insulation layers. People with naturally lean builds — or anyone who's recently lost a meaningful amount of weight — tend to feel the cold more.

Iron deficiency or anaemia. Iron is essential for red blood cells to carry oxygen, and oxygen is essential for generating heat. Persistent cold sensitivity, especially with fatigue or pale skin, is sometimes the first clue someone's iron levels are low. Worth a GP visit if it sounds like you.

Thyroid activity. The thyroid controls a big chunk of your metabolic rate. When it's running slow (hypothyroidism), heat production drops with it. Other clues: fatigue, dry skin, feeling sluggish.

Raynaud's phenomenon. A circulation condition where small blood vessels in fingers and toes spasm in response to cold or stress, leaving extremities numb, white, or blue. Common, often mild, and worth understanding if your hands and feet go painfully cold disproportionately fast. The NHS has a clear summary.

Lower muscle mass. Muscle generates heat. The more of it you have, the warmer you tend to run. This is one reason people who do strength training often notice they feel less cold over time.

You just run cold. Sometimes there's no medical answer — your thermoregulation just sits a bit further down the spectrum. That's fine. It's not in your head, and it's not a flaw to fix.

What actually helps day-to-day

Layers, not bulk. Multiple thinner layers trap warm air between them and let you adjust as the temperature changes. One huge thick coat traps heat well outside but you'll roast indoors.

Cover your wrists, neck, and ankles. Heat escapes fastest where blood vessels are close to the skin. Hoodies with proper ribbed cuffs and a hood that actually covers your neck make a noticeable difference.

Move every hour or so. If you're sitting still — at a desk, in a library, on the sofa — your heat production drops. A brief walk or stretch resets it.

Warm core, warm everywhere. The body protects your core temperature first. If your torso is cold, your hands and feet will be the next thing to lose blood flow. A heavyweight hoodie that actually keeps your core warm will often warm your extremities more than gloves alone.

Eat warm meals and drink something hot. Internal heat from digestion and warm liquids genuinely raises core temperature for an hour or two. It's not a placebo.

Why we built Hüdíe for this

The starting point for the brand was exactly this experience: the founder spent years feeling cold in libraries, lecture halls, and at home, while everyone else was fine. Most "premium" hoodies turned out to be too thin to do the actual job. The bulky alternatives kept warm but looked like camping kit.

Hüdíe is built around one question: does this keep someone who actually runs cold, warm? Brushed fleece interiors, midweight or heavyweight fabric depending on the model, and ribbed cuffs and hems that actually trap heat.

If you've spent years buying jumpers that should have been warmer than they are — that's the gap we built Hüdíe to fill.

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you've been feeling cold persistently — especially alongside other symptoms like fatigue, weight changes, or numbness in fingers — please see your GP.