>> >> >>5 Facts to Know About Your Body Temperature >> >> >>Body temperature is an important indicator of our health. What is normal body >>temperature? What part of the body gives the most accurate readings? Find out >>the answers to these and other questions regarding body temperature. >>1.Your body is great thermoregulator >>Our body has an amazing ability to keep its temperature within safe range to >>keep you healthy, no matter what conditions you are exposed to outside the >>body. When you feel hot, you start sweating, which cools you body down. When >>you feel cold, you start shivering, which is involuntary muscle contractions >>that generate heat. Goosebumps that appear on skin when you are feeling cold >>are actually tiny muscles that raise body hairs, which increase their >>thickness. >> >> >>2. Normal body temperature >>It is commonly accepted that normal human body temperature is 98.6 degrees F >>or 37 degrees C. However, there is also a number of variations to normal body >>temperature that depend on many factors, such as the time of the day, outside >>temperature, age of the person and others. Temperature may vary by 1 degrees >>F (0.6 degrees C), from 97 degrees F (36.1 degrees C) to 99 degrees F (37.2 >>degrees C), which is considered within normal range. >> >> >>3. The body temperature varies throughout the day >>Body temperature undergoes minor changes throughout the day. It is the lowest >>in the morning, between 4 and 6 a.m. and highest in the evening, around 6 to >>8 p.m. Temperature also changes during sleep. Usually it starts to drop when >>we fall asleep, ensuring sound sleep and needed rest. >> >> >>4. Rectal temperature - most accurate >>Body temperature is measured with the help of different types of thermometers >>in various parts of the body. Temperature taken in your mouth may be >>influenced by many factors and is usually lower, while rectal and ear >>measurements are slightly higher than oral temperature readings. Temperature >>taken in your armpit may me the least accurate since it may not directly >>indicate core temperature. The most accurate way to measure body temperature >>is to take temperature rectally. >> >> >>5. Fever is good for youMany of us are scared of fever and try to reduce >>fever with medications. However, fever is not an illness, but the body's >>defense mechanism that fights infections and is basically harmless. Fever >>slows the growth of pathogenic bacteria and activates white blood cells to >>fight infection. Fever may range between 100 degrees to 104 degrees F and >>higher (37.8 degrees - 40 degrees C), but not all of them need to be treated >>with medications. The general rule of thumb is that fever medicines are >>necessary when it causes you or your child discomfort or there are other >>dangerous signs such as trouble breathing or pain >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > >
