Why Am I Always Cold or Sweating? Temperature Changes and Thyroid Dysfunction

Do You Feel Cold All The Time — Or Sweat Easily?

Struggling with cold hands and feet in British summer? Or maybe you find yourself overheated and sweating even when others feel fine? If so, your thyroid gland could be at the root of your temperature troubles.

For accurate answers, the Mayfield Clinic Thyroid Function Home Blood Test Kit (FT4 & TSH) offers fast, UK-wide results from a simple finger-prick sample.

How Does the Thyroid Control Body Temperature?

The thyroid produces hormones (including FT4) that regulate your metabolism – essentially, how much energy your body burns and how it handles heat. If your thyroid is underactive (hypothyroidism), you may feel cold, sluggish, or notice dry skin. If overactive (hyperthyroidism), you might become sweaty, anxious, or lose weight without trying.

• Cold intolerance: A common symptom of hypothyroidism
• Heat sensitivity or excessive sweating: Linked with hyperthyroidism
• Unexplained changes in comfort: May signal thyroid issues even if you have no other symptoms

Other Signs to Look Out For

• Slow or rapid heartbeat
• Muscle aches or tremors
• Changes to hair texture or loss

These subtle changes are often mistaken for "just getting older" or effects of the UK weather, but they're also important clues to your thyroid health.

Action Steps (Even Before Testing)

• Dress in easily adjustable layers to manage temperature swings
• Stay hydrated during hot spells; use hot water bottles or heated blankets in cold
• Monitor other symptoms to track patterns
• If these issues persist, consider a thyroid test

A simple home test can help you understand if there's an underlying hormonal cause. Order your home test kit here for next-day results, or book an in-person test at Mayfield Clinic.

Find more about thyroid health at the NHS thyroid conditions A-Z page.