How much energy does your body give off on a normal basis? Which part of your body gives off the most heat? What is this amount

Question

How much energy does your body give off on a normal basis? Which part of your body gives off the most heat? What is this amount

Answer 1

Basal metabolic rate is about 75 watts. That is, this is the price of keeping a normal body temperature. Can drop some during sleep.

Light exercise -- you can talk, but not sing without excessive pauses -- raises this to 200-300 watts. A trained athlete can generate 500-1000 watts for extended periods of time.

A person has about 2 square meters of skin. Under comfortable conditions, the skin is at a fairly constant temperature. As you bundle up for colder weather, more heat is lost on the exposed bits, and less on the covered bits.

Exceptions:

A: When under cold stress, the body shuts down surface circulation to the extremities. (Cold fingers, toes) then arms and legs.

B: Blood circulation to the head is not restricted during cold stress.

The combination of these two factors and given environments is the source of such sayings as "You lose X% of your heat through your head"

However, "if you hands are cold, put on your hat" remains good advice.