Shivering (also called
rigors or
shuddering) is a bodily function in response to early
hypothermia or just feeling cold in
warm-blooded animals. When the core
body temperature drops, the shivering
reflex is triggered to maintain
homeostasis. Skeletal muscles begin to shake in small movements, creating warmth by expending
energy. Shivering can also be a response to a
fever, as a person may feel cold. During fever the hypothalamic set point for temperature is raised. The increased set point causes the body temperature to rise (
pyrexia), but also makes the patient feel cold until the new set point is reached. Rigor occurs because the patient's body is effectively shivering in a physiological attempt to increase body temperature to the new set point.