How does temperature affect pulse rate?

Are you sweating more than a pig roasting on the spit at the county fair? Feeling hot like a potato that’s been in the oven for too long? Well, if you’re also noticing an increase in your pulse rate – don’t panic yet! It could be due to nothing other than temperature.

The human body is a complex biological machine. It reacts differently to various stimuli, including different temperatures. In this article, we’ll discuss how temperature affects respiratory and cardiovascular systems, leading to changes in pulse rate.

The Science Behind Temperature And Heart Rate

Temperature plays an essential role in regulating the heart’s function. Fluctuations outside our thermoneutral zone – 20-30°C or 68-86°F – heat waves or icy blasts can tamper with our bodies’ core temperature of approximately 37 °C (98.6°F). When our internal thermostat goes off-kilter, cardiac output increases as blood flow needs to adjust to maintain homeostasis within cells.

An increased pulse rate is part of this regulatory response and can result from exposure:

1) To high environmental (ambient) temperatures/large amounts of sunlight
2) To prolonged physical activity under prevailing high ambient temperatures
3) When transitioning from colder environments into heated areas or vice versa

While each person has variations based on physiology and health factors the general consensus shows younger individuals are more sensitive whereby their heart rates respond strongly accordingly; older adults may have slightly tempered reactions but will still see fluctuations if exposures fall outside their thermal neutral zones.

Understanding Heart Rate In General

Naturally, before examining its relationship with temperature wholly we must understand what precisely “pulse” refers to when measuring heartbeats per minute (bpm).

Our hearts beat around 100K times daily, pumping oxygenated blood throughout your circulatory system at varying intervals depending on age/personal health/physical activity level. Measuring this rhythm internally via EKG, externally through use of stethoscopes or finger probes on wrist or forehead for manual counts – pulse rate measure our heartbeats.

When we describe a person’s beats per minute (pulse rate), we’re evaluating the frequency of mechanical contractions within cardiac muscles. The body requires oxygen to perform all metabolic and physiological reactions; that’s why it demands energy in the form of glucose/fatty acids in sufficient amounts to sustain said rhythms as they vary based upon external cues.

How Temperature Affects Pulse Rate

In simpler terms -A change in temperature alters metabolism and sends blood flow surging throughout your system. When our bodies experience extremely low/high temperatures – outside thermoneutral zone- it can cause an accelerated heartbeat by 10 bpm per °C; up to 150-200bpm under extreme conditions like heat stroke or hypothermia.

For example:

• Air conditioning is blasting around you; wearing too many layers during the winter months
• Intense physical exercise at high ambient temperatures/humidity 
• Coexisting health factors

Such exposures will elevate core body temperature leading to sweat production and nutrient flow redistribution +/- uptick each contributing differentially.

As circulating cortisol levels rise, pushing up both systolic and diastolic pressures that generate additional heart responses while environmental temp rises gradually elevated basal state accompanied by increased oxygen uptake affect trained athletes differently.

All these factors could lead to increase respiration rates proportional with activity type duration/exertion coupled changes.

Effects On Different Age Groups

Children: Increased sensitivity impacting pulse rate from stretching variances

Older adults : More efficient regulation due process tempered reactions but still significant fluctuations observed outliers

Healthy Adults: Individuals display varying levels dependant lifestyle habits/routine work delays schedule difference age range

Athletes: Train to adapt accordingly leading reduced pulse rate when compared sedentary individuals since adaptations lead to reverse age-related heart response changes.

When temperature affects our basal metabolic state depends on physical and other contextual factors like:

• Type of activity 
• Intensity/Duration

What are the Body’s normal limits

Under ideal resting conditions, a healthy adult child of average weight (70 kgs) and height (166 cm), with no significant underlying medical condition or cardio related symptoms should have a baseline pulse rate between 60-100 bpm. Anything above this may indicate an underlying problem respiration/cardiovascular system.

Conclusion

Temperature has a comprehensive impact on the human body’s functions beyond cooling us in hot weather or keeping us snug and warm during winter months. When temperatures remain outside the range which we’re accustomed; BP readings stabilize due fluctuating HR outwards thermoneutral zone causing compensatory responses altered systolic/diastolic performance as energy demands shift just suit proper organ function scaled up differential oxygen/cortisol uptakes levels respectively.

In essence – Paying close attention to your pulse rate fluctuations – other that can ultimately be affected by regular exposure-to varying environmental conditions such as heat waves icy blasts intense physical activity +/- stress coupled with preexisting health problems will help you better monitor yourself properly minimizing surprises affecting overall well-being balancing cellular homeostasis.