- #1
Skhandelwal
- 400
- 3
As I am playing chess, if I don't take a break after a few hours, my body temperature starts going up, is this normal?
As my mental activity inc., so does my body temp.
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SUMMARY
The discussion centers on the phenomenon of increased body temperature during prolonged mental activity, particularly while playing chess. Participants noted that their body temperature rises in a closed environment, with one user reporting a temperature increase from 20°C to 24°C after several hours of focused work. The conversation highlights that the brain consumes about 25% of the body's metabolism, which may contribute to this temperature rise, although external factors like room insulation and stress responses were also considered. No definitive scientific studies were cited to confirm the link between deep thought and body temperature increase.
PREREQUISITES- Understanding of basic thermodynamics and heat transfer principles
- Familiarity with human metabolism and brain function
- Knowledge of environmental factors affecting temperature, such as insulation and humidity
- Experience with measuring body temperature accurately
- Research the metabolic rate of the brain and its impact on body temperature
- Investigate studies linking cognitive load to physiological responses
- Learn about the effects of stress on body temperature and sweating
- Explore methods for accurately measuring temperature changes during mental tasks
This discussion is beneficial for psychologists, neuroscientists, chess players, and anyone interested in the physiological effects of cognitive activities on the body.
- #2
Chaos' lil bro Order
- 682
- 2
Skhandelwal said:
Great question. I don't have an answer, but I've noticed the same thing about myself. When I am doing work in my computer room the same thing happens. I keep a digital thermometer in there. Once I close the door, turn the lights on, turn the computer on and sit down for 2 hours, I notice the temperature increases from 20C to 22C. This is expected since light bulbs and computers generate a lot of heat and the door is closed so it traps the heat in the room. After another couple hours the temperature remains at 22C since the room has reach a steady state temperature. Then I start writing out a brain-intensive report and after an hour I look back at the thermometer and its up to 24C. OF COURSE there are a plethora of external factors that could cause this like: outdoor temp., furnace heating cycles, someone using the stove and the heat seeping into my room. BUT, I've noticed this so many times that I've had enough data to rule out these external factors. My reports don't use any CPU intensive applications that may cause the computer to work harder and thus generate more heat. I simply use MSWord. I also don't type out that many words, I'm thinking for 9/10 minutes and typing for 1/10 minutes, so friction on the keyboard and my arm and hand muscle movements are negligeable heat sources.
I know its hardly a scientific proof that thinking hard increases body temperature dramatically, but does anyone have knowledge of real experiments that have linked deep thought to large increases in body temp?
- #3
selfAdjoint
Staff Emeritus
Gold Member
Dearly Missed
- 6,839
- 11
Your brain uses up to about 25% of your metabolism. I can well imagine that if you haven't eaten, and your body is burning fat or otherwise using metabolic processes to support your working brain, that your body temperature might rise, but I would rely on somebody who knows about these matters in detail rather than yours truly, who is just guessing.
- #4
Evo
Staff Emeritus
- 24,032
- 3,277
Do you just feel hotter, or have you actually verified this by taking your temperature before and after? Stress can make you sweat, make you feel hotter. Your systolic blood pressure may also increase. When you're nervous you sweat, your face flushes. You may feel hotter, but your actual body temperature may not rise.Skhandelwal said:
- #5
tehno
- 375
- 0
For the same reason beautiful girls/boys are sometimes called "hot".
Looking them may cause similar effects...
Looking them may cause similar effects...
- #6
Chaos' lil bro Order
- 682
- 2
selfAdjoint said:
25%?
That's quite incredible to think that it uses so much while its volume is much much less than 25% of the human body's volume. Do you have a white paper that shows this Self? Is this number based on glucose uptake?
- #7
zoobyshoe
- 6,506
- 1,254
Your body temperature is not going to rise outside of a fever or simple partial seizure of the autonomic system (or maybe other autonomic pathologies, if such exist). If it threatens to be heated up by an outside source you bleed the excess heat off by evaporating sweat, and stay within normal parameters.
It's not inconcievable that a person could heat up a well insulated room but 2 degrees strikes me as a lot.
It's not inconcievable that a person could heat up a well insulated room but 2 degrees strikes me as a lot.
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- #8
physics girl phd
- 930
- 3
Hmm -- while my chess buddies and I play chess for hours... we usually drink beer ... to cool off? 
So I've never witnessed this myself.
I think you should pick up Evo's suggestion and do some measurements... On yourself and your chessmates... during chess and during nonchess activity. Of course, then every "normal" person will think you are truly contagious.
So I've never witnessed this myself. I think you should pick up Evo's suggestion and do some measurements... On yourself and your chessmates... during chess and during nonchess activity. Of course, then every "normal" person will think you are truly contagious.