what can you tell me about percieved temperature control of the body?

The body’s perceived temperature is shaped by temperature sensors in the skin and inside the body, with the brain integrating those signals to regulate core temperature. Cooling the skin can feel refreshing without actually lowering core temperature—and can even prompt the body to generate more heat. 1

• Skin and core temperatures: The body has a cooler outer “shell” and a warmer core. The brain monitors temperature and coordinates heating or cooling responses, much like a thermostat. 2
• How temperature is sensed: Skin receptors detect changes in temperature and relay information through the spinal cord to the brain. That information contributes both to conscious sensation and to the body’s automatic temperature-regulation responses. 3
• Why sensation can mislead: A cold towel on the torso or head may feel cooling, but cooling much of the body’s surface can signal the brain to warm the core. For faster core cooling, the palms, soles, and upper face are described as more effective sites. 4 5
• Temperature perception differs by stimulus: Cold-sensitive neurons respond to relative drops in temperature, whereas heat-sensitive neurons respond to absolute temperature levels. 6

The brain’s temperature-control system therefore responds to both what the body senses and where the temperature change occurs. 7