Preferred temperature of the elderly after cold and heat exposures determined by individual self-selection of air temperature

Ohnaka, Tadakatsu; Tochihara, Yutaka; Tsuzuki, Kazuyo; Nagai, Y.; Tokuda, Tetsuo; Kawashima, Yoshikatsu

doi:10.1016/0306-4565(93)90058-2

Cited by 24 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Authors concluded that older persons might require a more intense stimulus to perform appropriate behavioural actions for protection. Similar results were obtained by Ohnaka et al [39] comparing young and older females.…”

Section: Age Cutaneous Thermal Sensitivity and Subjective Perceptiosupporting

confidence: 91%

Effect of Cold Exposure on Older Humans

Smolander

2002

Int J Sports Med

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Epidemiological studies have shown excess winter mortality particularly in older age groups. A question is how much these statistics are affected by age-related physiological changes in cold thermoregulation and how much due to other factors related to aging. In experimental studies concerning age and cold stress both whole-body and local exposures have been used mostly in resting subjects with minimal clothing. Older persons, particularly men over ca. 60 years, are less able to maintain core temperature during a given cold challenge compared to younger individuals. Older persons have a reduced cutaneous thermal sensitivity, and a reduced subjective thermal perception during cooling. Thus, older people may require a more intense stimulus to perform protective actions against cold stress. Older persons' skin vasoconstrictive response to cold is diminished compared to younger persons, which seems partly related to a reduced skin vasomotor sensitivity to sympathoneuronal stimuli. The cold-induced rise in metabolic rate is attenuated in older persons, but the mechanism is unknown. Both central and peripheral components seem to be involved in the age-related changes in regulatory effector functions. Enhanced aerobic fitness may not give added protection against core cooling during cold stress in the elderly, but seems to attenuate older subjects' heightened blood pressure response to cold. Bronchial responsiveness to face cooling may increase with age. Further studies are needed to examine the age-related changes in non-thermoregulatory responses to cold (e. g. hemodynamics, cardiac function, respiration, autonomic nervous function), and the modifying effects of acute exercise and physical training.

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Section: Age Cutaneous Thermal Sensitivity and Subjective Perceptiosupporting

confidence: 91%

Effect of Cold Exposure on Older Humans

Smolander

2002

Int J Sports Med

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“…It is noteworthy that although the nocturnal temperature decline was 0.3-0.4 C even at 26 C, mild heat exposure at 32 C further suppresses the sleep-evoked T re decline. In wakeful periods in older men, no significant difference was observed in T re during exposure to T a of 25 C and 35 C (Ohnaka et al 1993). However, this study found the T re decrease to be significantly suppressed, although T a was lower than 35 C. This result was consistent with the response of younger men, in whom a few degrees of increase in T a above the thermal neutral zone can affect core body temperature during sleep, suggesting greater effects of heat exposure during sleep than in the waking state (Sagot et al 1987).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Effects of mild heat exposure on sleep stages and body temperature in older men

2004

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The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of mild heat exposure on sleep stages and body temperature in older men. Ten healthy male volunteers with a mean age of 69.2 +/- 1.35 years served as subjects. The experiments were carried out under two different sets of conditions: 26 degrees C 50% relative humidity (RH) and 32 degrees C 50% RH. The subjects slept from 2200 hours to 0600 hours with a cotton blanket and wearing short-sleeve pajamas and shorts on a bed covered by a sheet. Electroencephalogram, electro-occulogram and mental electromyogram recordings were made through the night. Rectal and skin temperatures were measured continuously. No significant differences were observed in sleep onset latency. In time spent in each sleep stage, wakefulness was significantly increased at 32 degrees C than at 26 degrees C. The total amount of wakefulness increased and rapid eye movement sleep (REM) decreased at 32 degrees C compared to 26 degrees C. The fall in rectal temperature was significantly suppressed and the mean skin temperature was significantly higher at 32 degrees C than at 26 degrees C. These results suggest that, for older men, even mild heat exposure during the nighttime sleep period may increase thermal load, suppress the decrease of rectal temperature, decrease REM, and increase wakefulness and whole-body sweat loss.

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“…Older individuals also appear to have blunted peripheral sensitivity/feelings. For example, when participants have control of setting a thermostat as the ambient temperature fluctuates, older individuals allow the air temperature to fall to lower levels before readjusting the thermostat (173,220). Furthermore, aging also reduces centrally mediated thermosensitivity.…”

Section: Individual Differences and Tolerancementioning

confidence: 97%

Cold Stress Effects on Exposure Tolerance and Exercise Performance

Castellani

Tipton

2015

Comprehensive Physiology

114

115

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Cold weather can have deleterious effects on health, tolerance, and performance. This paper will review the physiological responses and external factors that impact cold tolerance and physical performance. Tolerance is defined as the ability to withstand cold stress with minimal changes in physiological strain. Physiological and pathophysiological responses to short-term (cold shock) and long-term cold water and air exposure are presented. Factors (habituation, anthropometry, sex, race, and fitness) that influence cold tolerance are also reviewed. The impact of cold exposure on physical performance, especially aerobic performance, has not been thoroughly studied. The few studies that have been done suggest that aerobic performance is degraded in cold environments. Potential physiological mechanisms (decreases in deep body and muscle temperature, cardiovascular, and metabolism) are discussed. Likewise, strength and power are also degraded during cold exposure, primarily through a decline in muscle temperature. The review also discusses the concept of thermoregulatory fatigue, a reduction in the thermal effector responses of shivering and vasoconstriction, as a result of multistressor factors, including exhaustive exercise.

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Preferred temperature of the elderly after cold and heat exposures determined by individual self-selection of air temperature

Cited by 24 publications

References 6 publications

Effect of Cold Exposure on Older Humans

Effect of Cold Exposure on Older Humans

Effects of mild heat exposure on sleep stages and body temperature in older men

Cold Stress Effects on Exposure Tolerance and Exercise Performance

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