# Why do we feel colder as we age? Scientists are tracing the signals

Source: [Earth.com](https://www.earth.com/science/why-do-we-feel-colder-as-we-age-scientists-are-tracing-the-signals/) · 2026-11-13 · Earth & Climate
Page: https://themorning.science/story/why-do-we-feel-colder-as-we-age-scientists-are-tracing-the-signals-9874552f9f6f38ac
Kind: research · Impact: low

## In brief

- Older people can feel chilly in rooms that feel comfortable to younger people, according to the source.
- Brown fat burns sugar and fat to supply the body with heat.
- A new mouse study reports that brown fat took much longer to respond to cold in old animals.

## Why it matters

The findings offer a possible biological explanation for why older people feel colder, which could matter for comfort and health in later life. The evidence comes from mice, so it does not yet establish the same mechanism in humans.

## Coverage

- [Why do we feel colder as we age? Scientists are tracing the signals](https://www.earth.com/science/why-do-we-feel-colder-as-we-age-scientists-are-tracing-the-signals/) — Earth.com, 2026-11-13

Tags: brown fat, ageing, thermoregulation, mouse study, metabolism

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Brief generated by AI (claude-haiku-5-5) from the reporting listed under Coverage. Headlines belong to their publishers. The Morning Science – https://themorning.science