it's
still plenty cold out there! Ever wonder why we shiver like Jell-O when
we are cold?
Shivering
is like a dance that your body does to keep warm. Everyone has a built-in
thermostat in his or her body called a HYPOTHALAMUS. Your hypothalamus
is in your brain, and it makes sure that your body is at about 98.6 degrees
AT ALL TIMES. If you get colder than that, your brain starts to tell your
muscles to warm up by moving around.
Movement
- like playing sports or having a snowball fight - requires energy. When
you jump around, your muscles break down food to get energy and this process
releases heat in your whole body. If you stop moving and your body gets
chilly, your muscles will move all by themselves to keep you warm - and
that's what we call shivering!
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