Normal body temperature: what it is and when to worry

The body temperature It is not the same for all people or throughout the day. It depends on various factors such as age, the activity you are doing, if you have eaten, if you are ovulating or even the time of day: it is lowest in the early morning hours and highest in the afternoon and at night. So, what is normal body temperature?

normal body temperature

Normal body temperature is the temperature at which the human body is when it is in a thermal equilibrium statethat is, when the amount of heat that the body produces is equal to the amount that it loses.

Normal body temperature in adults

In general, in a healthy adult person, the body temperature is considered to be normal when it is around 37°Calthough it can vary slightly depending on the person and the moment and what they are doing.

Normal body temperature in children

In the newly bornnormal body temperature is usually around 36.5°C and gradually increases as they grow. In the childrenthe average normal body temperature is around 37.5°C.

On the other hand, the women may have a slightly higher body temperature that men in some situations like during ovulation and pregnancydue to hormonal changes.

Also, keep in mind that the temperature can vary depending on various factors and that is why if you take your temperature at different times of the day you may see slight variations in the readings. For example, when you are doing physical activity the body generates heat as a result of muscle metabolism, which can temporarily raise the temperature bodily.

The exposure to extreme temperaturesWhether hot or cold, it can also affect body temperature.

High body temperature: fever

The fever is the defense mechanism of our body against infection, disease or injury. Therefore it is, a symptom which indicates that our body is fighting to fight infection or disease by increasing the activity of the immune system.

According to the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (semFYC), it is considered that there is a fever when the body temperature is higher than 37.2-37.5°C (measured in the armpit).

Keep in mind that the temperature reading varies depending on where it is taken: in the armpit, mouth, rectum or ear. Usually lower in the armpit and mouth (up to a degree) than in the rectum and ear.

The doctor should be consulted when:

The fever lasts more than 72 hours and the cause is not known.There is some chronic disease that favors the infection.

In the case of fever in children, You should contact your doctor immediately if it is a baby under 3 months (whatever its temperature), if the temperature is above 40 °C or if he cries inconsolably. Also if the child is very irritable, sleepy or confusedif you vomit repeatedly or have a severe headache, or if you have red spots or spots on your skin.

Low body temperature: hypothermia

when the body loses a lot of heat we talk about hypothermia. According to the Spanish Society of General and Family Physicians (SEMG), hypothermia occurs when the body temperature below 35°C and there are three different degrees according to their severity:

mild hypothermia: from 32 to 35 °C.moderate hypothermia: from 28 to 32 °C.severe hypothermia: less than 28 °C.profound hypothermia: less than 20 °C.

Hypothermia can be caused by a prolonged exposure to very low temperatures (either outside or in the water). In this sense, special attention must be paid to the young children and the elderlysince your body regulates body temperature worse.

It can also be caused (or favored) by alterations such as myxedema or sepsiswhich have a very poor prognosis.