Body Temperature

Has anyone experienced a raise in body temperature as a reaction to stress. With all that is going on in our world with COVID, I took my temperature a few days ago because I felt sort of clammy but hot. It had been a very stressful day at work and I could tell my anxiety was heightened. It was what I guess would be considered a low grade fever - between 99.3-99.8 Fahrenheit. I felt fine otherwise and not the achy, chills, etc that I have had when I have actually had a virus. But of course this raise in temp concerned me, so I did get a COVID test done that day just to be sure. I continued to check my temp periodically, and in the evening it came back down to normal. I did note that I was more relaxed than I had been throughout the day. I took it again in the morning first thing and it was still normal. While I was working the following day (again, a stressful day), it crept back up into the 99s and then back down again later in the evening once I was done working. Is this how my body is reacting to stress?? I do get that hot/flushed feeling on my skin when I am worked up too, so is this possibly what is causing a raise in body temp? I know it is normal for it to fluctuate throughout the day, but the spikes have been higher than what my normal has been in the past. I have health anxiety, so I of course immediately jumped to “maybe I have cancer because low grade fevers can be a symptom”, but I am trying to be rational and wondered if anyone else has experienced this from stress or anxiety? I don’t generally take my temperature unless I am feeling unwell but this has me now compulsively checking it multiple times a day. And I still feel fine 😑. Also, COVID test was negative.

Simple answer, yes. It happens to me when anxious.
Also, if you’re female then it could be hormonal too.

Glad your test was negative.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Happens to me too ! My body temperature rises with anxiety, 38 plus happens just from stress. The reason I know is that in years gone past I was a compulsive checker ! ;)

Thanks for your replies! I am becoming a compulsive checker now after last week. I keep trying to be rational by telling myself that a fever, even low grade would make my feel unwell probably. Or can you run low grade fevers and feel fine? I have continued to check every day, and even when I have been calm, it seems to creep up throughout the day to anywhere between 99.1 and 99.6. It is lower in the morning and at night. I am pretty sure this isn’t just my normal, because when I have had viruses in the past, I have checked it multiple times a day to see if I was able to go back to work, etc. In the past, when I hit the 99s, I already feel sick. But other than the half a day I felt a little feverish last week which prompted to start the checking, I have felt fine this whole time. My temp just goes up during the day for some reason.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by healthnut22

My temp just goes up during the day for some reason.

---

So does mine. It then falls back.

I'm the same when it comes to my anxiety. If I feel really stressed and/or anxious I'll actually start feeling "feverish" as well; my skin will feel more warm to the touch and I could even develop a slight sweat if just moving around a little or having a heated conversation. I've sometimes checked my temperature at these moments and it's usually around 37 C (or 99 Fahrenheit). Maybe it's not considered a fever but it's more warm than my normal body temperature at least.

I would advice to not check your temperature every day, even if you really want to. Also body temperature goes up when moving around, and also naturally goes up during the day. In the past when I was really worried over my temperature my doctor always told me that I should only check it in the morning and maybe just once every few days or so.

Yes definitely, when my dad was in hospital a few weeks ago I felt hot all the time. I also know when I've been stressed at the Dr's my temperature is always around 37.1 - 37.2. I also got really stressed during labour and it went up to 37.6, they all started panicking but I knew as soon as I started to calm down it would go down and it did, went down to normal within a matter of an hour! I don't advise googling but there is actually something called psychogenic fever which is when people get a real temperature due to being anxious or going through periods of emotional stress.

So our body temps can fluctuate as much as a degree up or down through the day. If I’m going to take my temp it’s either first thing in the morning or late evening, as those are the most reliable times (per my GP). I do have to take mine regularly because of my job (thanks, Covid). Back in the “normal” times I really don’t remember checking my temp at all unless I truly felt ill - aches and chills and such. Now that I have to take it a little more regularly, mine varies anywhere from 97.6 to 98.6 F throughout the day.