Does Adrenaline Make You Cold?

[anselm 0]

Just curious... when I'm in a big tourney, on the bubble, or final table -- whatever -- I've noticed I get really cold. I remember one FT where my friend was in shorts and t-shirt and I shut the window, turned on the heater, and got under a blanket. As soon as I chopped for the win I realized how farking hot I suddenly was and stripped down to shorts.I realize there's a lot to flame here but I'm genuinely curious. Does anybody know if adrenaline chills you or what the psychology behind this is?

[lboarts 0]

Sometimes, when I get pulled over, my knees give out, but only til I stand up.Never mind.

[No_Neck 0]

sometimes when I get really really high I get the shivers, not the same but at least i am not flaming you

[HoosierAlum 0]

This honestly happens to me too.

[doublemeup 0]

I can honestly say that I just won an all in pot and I'm feeling a little chilly.

[Icantfold 0]

try alcohol it does it for me..FWP

[garnes44 0]

My basement is typically cold(which doesn't bug me), but I also notice this when I am deep or on the bubble in a tourny. I thought it was just me.....Garnes

[Don Giovanni 0]

why did you have to phrase this thread as a medical question?

[anselm 0]

why did you have to phrase this thread as a medical question?

Because I'm interested in a quasi-medical answer? Glad to hear I'm not alone though, but I do wonder if there's anyone out there who knows what the physiology/psychology behind this is. If I wasn't in a tourney (and shivering) I'd think about Googling it or something.

[DanielSon 0]

Just curious... when I'm in a big tourney, on the bubble, or final table -- whatever -- I've noticed I get really cold. I remember one FT where my friend was in shorts and t-shirt and I shut the window, turned on the heater, and got under a blanket. As soon as I chopped for the win I realized how farking hot I suddenly was and stripped down to shorts.I realize there's a lot to flame here but I'm genuinely curious. Does anybody know if adrenaline chills you or what the psychology behind this is?

Haha this happens to me all the time, I always have a blanket wrapped tight around me at a final table.....I hope this goes away in case I ever make a live final table....I don't want to look like a fool

[Wannabewiz 0]

Adrenaline (or epinephrine) likely makes you feel cold because it causes the small arteries near your skin to constrict decreasing the amount of nice warm blood getting there. Less blood near the skin equals a feeling of cold. At least that's my understanding, but I could be wrong.

[joeythep 0]

Adrenaline (or epinephrine) likely makes you feel cold because it causes the small arteries near your skin to constrict decreasing the amount of nice warm blood getting there. Less blood near the skin equals a feeling of cold. At least that's my understanding, but I could be wrong.

The adrenaline quickens your pulse, which raises your internal body temperature, which in turn makes you more sensitive to external cold temperatures. Similiar to when you have a fever. Happens to me all the time.EDIT: Just read the post above me...i think it's some combination of our two answers.

[Franky Bones 0]

This is something I have wondered about for a while. Doesn't seem to happen to everyone though. To the OP, do you sweat at the same time? I do.Cold sweats while playing poker... If it were just adrenaline .. then you would think it would happen during other times.. arguements.. fights.. etc.. For me.. it only happens during poker. I don't think it's just adrenaline..Interesting to know the "medical reasoning" behind it.

[CobaltBlue 662]

I used to get the shivers early in a session. Doesn't seem to happen as often anymore.

[SFkid 0]

Adrenaline (or epinephrine) likely makes you feel cold because it causes the small arteries near your skin to constrict decreasing the amount of nice warm blood getting there. Less blood near the skin equals a feeling of cold. At least that's my understanding, but I could be wrong.

Thats right. Just looked it up and basicly your arteries near your skin consrict and less blood gets there. So you become cooler and you get colder if the room your are happens to be cold.

[HangukMiguk 8]

I have the same thing happen to me. One non-poker moment that I can remember is that I was on my cell phone in McDonald's one afternoon two years ago, and just as soon as I got my food (to go), I noticed that my ex-girlfriend and her older sister was at my car with eggs....well you should know what their game plan was.I'm running out the doors, get into the parking lot toward my car and scream, "GET THE FUCK BACK FROM MY CAR, BITCH!" Yeah, we didn't break up on good terms. She's goes, "We weren't doing anything." "Yeah, right. Next time I catch you anywhere near my car, I will call the cops." I drive off, I'm still on my cell. And I notice I'm getting colder, light headed, and I can't get my leg to stop shaking on the accelerator.Very OT, but yeah, that's the time I first realized that was happening.

[finztotheleft 0]

Internal ReactionsFight or flight produces many visceral changes, most of which involve increasing internal organ activity. In the cardiovascular system, heart rate increases, the force of contraction of the myocardium (heart muscle) increases, and stroke volume of the heart (amount of blood pumped out per beat) subsequently rises, all resulting in increased cardiac output (amount of blood pumped by the heart per unit time). The reason for these cardiac changes is to speed up delivery of blood flow to the muscles. Because they will soon need increased oxygen, nutrients, energy, and waste removal, the heart steps up its pumping activity to meet the demand.Other cardiovascular changes involve the vasomotor activity of the arteries. Arteries supplying blood to deep muscle tissue expand (vasodilatation) and arteries to the skin surface contract (vasoconstriction). The reason for vasodilation in deep muscle tissue is clearly to help increase blood supply where it is needed. The reasons for vasoconstriction of superficial arteries are somewhat less obvious. First, restricted blood flow to nonessential areas makes more blood, oxygen, and other essentials available to the muscles. Also since you may be injured in a fight or flight situation and may even bleed, vasoconstriction helps to minimize blood loss by restricting blood flow to the surface of the skin.Have you ever noticed your hands getting cold in tense or anxious situations? This is due to vasoconstriction during fight or flight. When blood flow to the skin surface is restricted, the blood is no longer bringing the internal heat of the body interior to the surface. Therefore, your hands feel cold.Both the cardiac and vascular changes occurring during fight or flight have their own discrete reasons for happening, but together they contribute to another effect--an increase in blood pressure. The combination of elevated cardiac output and peripheral vasoconstriction serves to raise both systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressure. This is an important effect of fight or flight arousal.The cardiovascular system is only one of several that display profound changes in this fight or flight mobilization effort. Significant activity occurs in the respiratory system. Some of these changes include increases in respiration rate and depth, oxygen consumption, and carbon dioxide production. Bronchodilation, an expansion of the air passageways (bronchioles) in the lungs to allow greater airflow, also occurs. The respiratory changes facilitate increased delivery of needed oxygen to the muscles and other body tissues during physical demand.Also, the skeletal muscles display an increase in basal tension and strength capacity during fight or flight.