Physiological factors causing cold sensitivity in older adults

Older adults often experience increased sensitivity to cold due to physiological changes associated with aging. Research indicates that a primary cause is a declining metabolic rate, which reduces the body's ability to generate internal heat. Basal and resting heat production can decrease by approximately twenty percent between the ages of thirty and seventy, largely driven by the loss of active muscle mass.

Additionally, changes in body composition contribute to this sensation. A decrease in subcutaneous fat, which serves as natural insulation beneath the skin, further diminishes the body's ability to retain warmth.