Sensations of Temperature and Humidity during Intermittent Exercise and the Influence of Underwear Knit Structure
Abstract
In occupational as well as recreational outdoor activities, intermittent exercise is common. In autumn and winter, a varying activity level may easily result in periods of sweating and chilling. In these situations, thermoreceptors are of significance for automatic temperature regulation, and for conscious sensation of the temperature of the body and of the actual environment. The sensitivity to thermal stimuli varies between the core and different body surface areas. Humans have no humidity receptors, but in some way the wetness of the skin is also sensed, and can be related to the evaluation of comfort and discomfort. Also, the clothing worn generates thermal and contact wearing sensations. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the development of various subjective temperature and humidity sensations of the body, of the skin-clothing interface, and of the environment in dressed subject's during intermittent exercise in an environment resulting in both periods of sweating and chilling. Further, we aimed to study the significance of the knit structure in underwear during the course of the subjective sensations, and whether there was any correlation between subjective sensations and physiological/physical observations. Keywords: Sweat cooling, thermoregulatory responses, Exercise(Physiology), Heat stress(Physiology), Body temperature.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA215285
Entities
People
- Ruth Nielsen
- Thomas L. Endrusick
Organizations
- United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine