OK, admittedly, this picture was taken during the ice storm when we lost power for 4 days… but I feel the same way now!
My hands are freezing. In fact, everything is cold. I finished a 7K run about an hour ago, came home immediately and changed into woolly socks, slippers, and sweatshirt. I was also briefly wearing a Snuggie. I was warm when I was running, despite the fact that it is -10 and snowing. I was sweating normally as one would when you’re running at a reasonably fast pace. And now I’m cold. Seriously, freezing cold.
This happens all the time. I get cold after I cool down. Like shivering, goose-bumpy, teeth-chattering cold. Sometimes for hours. In fact, this happens in the summer too. I can’t seem to get my body temperature back to a normal level.
I did a little research and realized I’m not alone. Post-run chills or shivers happen to a lot of people. After a run, your metabolic heat production immediately drops. You’ll keep sweating and continue to lose heat to the environment through the evaporation of that sweat. At first, this is good, because you’re overheated from your run but sometimes, you lose heat too quickly, especially if you have a low BMI. Enter the post-run shivers.
There are a few things you can do to help alleviate these shivers, and regulate your temperature again. Try these tips:
- After your run, change into dry clothes immediately. Wearing wet clothes will make the matter worse. Don’t wait till you feel cold either. Do this right away.
- Have a warm shower. This can help regulate your body temperature again. If you’re really cold, have a hot bath. Better yet, find a friend with a hot tub.
- Drink water and have some food. Sometimes these post-run shivers can be exacerbated by dehydration or the need to refuel. Gatorade and a banana will usually do the trick.
If none of the above suggestions work for you, you can always consider buying yourself a Snuggie.
