Sweating, shivering and blood vessel changes keep core temperature near 37 degrees Celsius.
Hypothalamus is the thermostat. Heat loss: sweating, vasodilation, panting. Heat conservation: vasoconstriction, shivering, hair erection and brown fat in infants. Fever is a raised set point.
Heat is generated by metabolism and shivering. Blood vessels in the skin adjust heat loss. Heat stroke occurs if regulation fails.
Example: fever is regulated by a raised set point, not failure.
Sweating, shivering and blood vessel changes keep core temperature near 37 degrees Celsius.
Thermoregulation is one of the 51 topics in Human Physiology. It is rated Intermediate, so it suits learners who already know the core vocabulary. Related topics in this area include Exercise Physiology, Blood Vessels, Homeostasis.
Hypothermia occurs below 35 °C.
Work through the Beginner topics in Human Physiology first, such as Homeostasis, Tissues and Organs, Skeletal System, then return to Thermoregulation. Intermediate topics assume the Beginner vocabulary.
The closest topics to Thermoregulation are Exercise Physiology, Blood Vessels, Homeostasis, Energy Balance and Metabolism. Comparing them side by side is a good way to see how the ideas connect.
Read the summary and the in-depth section, then use the quick check on the interactive lesson for Thermoregulation. To practise the whole of Human Physiology, use the Human Physiology quiz.
Thermoregulation: Sweating, shivering and blood vessel changes keep core temperature near 37 degrees Celsius. Exercise Physiology: Regular activity strengthens muscle, heart and bone and changes metabolism. Read both side by side and note what each one explains.
First, read the summary and write the definition in your own words. Second, read the in-depth section and note any example. Third, compare it with Exercise Physiology and explain the difference aloud. Finally, take the Human Physiology quiz and come back to this page for any question you miss.
Regular activity strengthens muscle, heart and bone and changes metabolism.
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❤️ Human Physiology