The Strange Reason For Cold Hands And Feet + What To Do

If your hands and feet are always cold, you may know how frustrating this feeling is. especially when gloves and socks do not provide enough comfort. However, it has been shown that there may be a treatment for cold limbs that do not include warm clothing; alternatively, you can regulate blood circulation by changing your breathing pattern.

If this sounds surprising, let breathing expert and best-selling author Patrick McKeon explain: In the mindbodygreen podcast, he delves into the science behind this phenomenon.

The Connection Between Breathing And Cold Limbs.

According to McCune, cold hands and feet are common in people who have difficulty breathing. When you breathe too hard or too fast, your blood vessels narrow. In contrast to slow nasal breathing, it releases nitric oxide, a molecule that plays a vital role in increasing blood circulation and delivering oxygen to cells The role of. When blood vessels constrict, “this causes a decrease in oxygen reaching the entire body,” McKeown said. Therefore, frozen fingers.

In addition, when you breathe excessively, you emit a lot of carbon dioxide-if you need biological regeneration, carbon dioxide is transferred from the blood to the lungs. But it also helps regulate the pH of the blood, so you don’t want it. do it. Get rid of too much into the blood.

The lack of carbon dioxide changes the so-called oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve. “When carbon dioxide is lost too much and the pH of the blood rises, hemoglobin, the main carrier of oxygen in the blood, will not easily release oxygen,” McKeown said. The lack of oxygen in the blood vessels can cause cold hands and feet.

what to do with your hands and feet?

Of course, breathing patterns are not the only cause of cold limbs. There are many reasons why fingers and toes look cold. For example, thyroid imbalance may be another cause, but focusing on breathing is a low-altitude experience. To this end, McKeown shared two ways to strengthen and warm-up breathing.

First, nasal breathing is essential: “When you inhale through your mouth, you usually breathe faster through your upper chest,” he said. Nasal breathing and nitric oxide help transport oxygen and nutrients to your cells. McKeown even achieved personal success with this simple change: “I realized it might overheat my hands,” he said.

Or, he pointed out, you can choose a specific breathing exercise. “Place one hand on your chest and the other above your belly button, and start to slowly slow your breathing,” he explained. Focus on the airflow into the nose and really gentle, slow, and relaxed exhalation. McKeown said that “feeling short of breath or wanting to breathe again” means that carbon dioxide in the blood increases, which can help your limbs feel warm.

Travel for soul

There are many possible explanations for cold hands and feet. It is important to talk to your doctor to understand the core of your specific experience. But one possible cause may lie in the way you breathe. Consider trying the McKeown exercises above. If you are looking for more general breathing exercises, check out these ideas here and here.