How to Stop Body Shivering: Causes, Remedies, and When to Seek Help

September 28, 2025 •

4 min read

Shivering is a reflex action where your body generates heat through rapid muscle contractions, triggered when your core temperature drops. Understanding the root cause is the first step to knowing how to stop body shivering effectively. This guide will provide authoritative insights into why it happens and the best strategies for safe, effective relief.

Quick Summary

Stopping body shivering requires identifying the underlying cause, whether it's cold, fever, anxiety, or low blood sugar. Simple remedies like warming up and managing fever often help, but certain medical conditions require targeted treatment to resolve the shaking and other symptoms.

Key Points

Identify the Cause: Determine if shivering is from cold, fever, anxiety, or low blood sugar before treating it.
Warm Up Gradually: If shivering is due to cold, use layers, warm drinks, and blankets to raise your core temperature slowly and safely.
Manage Fever Safely: For fever-related shivering, use over-the-counter medication and lukewarm compresses, but avoid bundling up excessively to prevent overheating.
Address Underlying Conditions: If shivering is linked to anxiety, low blood sugar, or other medical issues, treating the primary condition is key to finding relief.
Know When to See a Doctor: Seek immediate medical attention if shivering is severe, persistent, or accompanied by symptoms like high fever, confusion, or chest pain.
Use Effective Hydration: Staying well-hydrated helps your body regulate its temperature and is especially important during illness.

Understanding Why Your Body Shivers

Shivering is an involuntary physiological response designed to maintain a stable internal body temperature, a process known as homeostasis. When the brain's hypothalamus senses a drop in core temperature, it triggers the skeletal muscles to contract and relax rapidly. This muscular activity consumes energy and generates heat, helping to warm the body back to a safe range. However, a drop in temperature is not the only trigger. Infections, hormonal shifts, and certain psychological states can also cause shivering, even when you aren't cold.

Common Causes of Shivering

Cold Exposure: The most obvious cause. Your body is losing heat to the environment faster than it can produce it, initiating the shivering reflex.
Fever and Infections: During an infection, the hypothalamus raises the body's temperature 'set point.' The resulting fever makes you feel cold relative to this new, higher set point, causing you to shiver to generate more heat.
Anxiety and Stress: A surge of adrenaline from stress or panic attacks can trigger a fight-or-flight response, which can cause tremors or shivering.
Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia): A drop in blood glucose levels, common in diabetics, can cause shakiness and shivering as the body signals for energy.
Post-Anesthesia: The body’s core temperature can decrease during surgery, and shivering is a common response as the effects of anesthesia wear off.
Other Medical Conditions: Less common causes include anemia, hypothyroidism, and certain drug withdrawals.

Immediate Strategies to Stop Shivering

The best course of action depends entirely on the cause. Here are some immediate steps you can take based on the most common triggers.

If You are Cold

Seek Shelter: Get to a warmer environment immediately, such as indoors or away from wind.
Add Layers: Put on a jacket, hat, and socks. Wearing multiple thin layers is more effective than one thick one.
Use Blankets: Wrap yourself in a blanket or use a sleeping bag to trap body heat.
Drink Something Warm: A warm, non-caffeinated, and non-alcoholic drink like hot broth or herbal tea can raise your internal temperature.
Gentle Movement: Light activity like walking in place or stretching can help muscles generate heat.

If You Have a Fever

Use OTC Medication: Over-the-counter fever reducers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help lower your temperature, which often resolves the shivering.
Lukewarm Compresses: Place a cool, damp cloth on your forehead or neck. This helps to reduce temperature without shocking the body into shivering more.
Avoid Excessive Bundling: While it's tempting to use many blankets, this can cause you to overheat. Use a light covering and dress in light, breathable clothing.

If Due to Anxiety or Stress

Practice Deep Breathing: Slow, controlled breathing helps calm the nervous system and can reduce trembling. Try the 4-7-8 method: inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7, and exhale for 8.
Use Grounding Techniques: Hold something cold, like an ice pack, or focus on your senses using the 5-4-3-2-1 method to redirect your focus away from anxious thoughts.

If You Have Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia)

Follow the 15-15 Rule: Consume 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrates (e.g., glucose tablets, juice, or regular soda), wait 15 minutes, and recheck your blood glucose.
Have a Sustaining Snack: Once your blood sugar is back in a safe range, eat a balanced snack with protein and carbs to prevent another drop.

Prevention and Long-Term Management

Preventing shivering often involves addressing the root cause, especially for chronic issues.

Stay Hydrated: Dehydration can affect your body's ability to regulate temperature. Drinking plenty of fluids is crucial for overall health.
Manage Underlying Conditions: If shivering is linked to a chronic condition like anemia, hypothyroidism, or diabetes, effective management of the primary illness will help prevent episodes.
Protect Against the Cold: For cold-induced shivering, proper layering and wearing protective gear like waterproof gloves and boots can make a significant difference.

Shivering Causes and Treatment Comparison


Cause	Immediate Action	Prevention/Long-Term Management
Cold Exposure	Seek shelter, add layers, drink warm fluids, perform gentle exercise.	Dress in layers for cold weather, stay hydrated, minimize prolonged outdoor exposure.
Fever/Infection	Take OTC fever reducer, use lukewarm compresses, rest.	Treat underlying infection, get vaccinations, maintain good hygiene.
Anxiety/Stress	Deep breathing, grounding techniques, mindfulness.	Manage stress through therapy (like CBT), exercise, and meditation.
Low Blood Sugar	Follow the 15-15 rule with fast-acting carbs.	Eat regular, balanced meals and monitor blood sugar, especially if diabetic.
Post-Anesthesia	Use blankets to warm up slowly.	Inform medical staff of any concerns; this is typically a temporary effect.

When to Seek Medical Attention

While most shivering episodes are temporary and benign, some situations require professional medical evaluation. You should contact a healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following:

Shivering is accompanied by a high fever (above 103°F or 39.4°C).
You experience confusion, slurred speech, or sluggishness.
The shivering is persistent, unexplained, or worsening.
Symptoms include chest pain, abdominal pain, shortness of breath, or a stiff neck.
It occurs alongside other severe symptoms like severe headache or difficulty breathing.

Conclusion

Shivering is a powerful signal from your body, and understanding its message is key to addressing it effectively. Whether it's a simple response to being cold or a symptom of an underlying medical condition, the appropriate action can provide quick relief and prevent future episodes. By assessing the situation and applying the right remedy, you can regain comfort and help your body restore its natural balance. For more in-depth medical information on various symptoms, consult the authoritative resources at the Cleveland Clinic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, anxiety and panic attacks can cause a surge of adrenaline, triggering the body's fight-or-flight response which can lead to physical symptoms like shaking or shivering.

You can use over-the-counter fever reducers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Applying lukewarm compresses to your forehead or neck is also effective, but avoid bundling up, which can cause overheating.

If blood sugar is low, consume 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrates, wait 15 minutes, and then recheck your glucose level. Repeat if necessary.

While often benign, shivering can signal a serious underlying condition. Seek medical attention if it is persistent, severe, or accompanied by a very high fever (over 103°F), confusion, or shortness of breath.

To prevent cold-induced shivering, dress in layers, wear a hat and gloves, and stay hydrated. You can also drink warm fluids and avoid prolonged exposure to cold.

Unlike adults, infants don't shiver to regulate temperature. If a baby is shivering or shaking, it could be a sign of low blood sugar and warrants contacting a healthcare provider.

Using cold water can cause the body to shiver more intensely to generate heat, which is counterproductive to lowering a fever. A lukewarm bath is a safer alternative.

Yes, insufficient hydration can disrupt the body's electrolyte balance and temperature regulation, which may lead to muscle tremors and shivering.