TL;DR: Stress Can Make Your Nose Colder – A Breakthrough in Stress Monitoring
Scientists have discovered that stress triggers a “nasal dip” in temperature, caused by reduced blood flow to the nose during the “fight or flight” response. Thermal imaging now allows non-invasive stress measurement, offering useful applications like real-time stress management, mental health monitoring, and improved animal welfare. Future wearable devices may track stress-related temperature changes for healthier lifestyles.
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In recent years, scientists have uncovered an unexpected and fascinating link between stress and body temperature: when you’re stressed, your nose gets colder. Research into this physiological phenomenon has not only revealed intriguing insights into how the body reacts to stress but also opened up powerful new ways to measure stress non-invasively using thermal imaging.
What causes the “Nasal Dip” in temperature?
When faced with a stressful situation, your body activates the “fight or flight” response. This triggers the nervous system to redirect blood flow to critical areas such as the brain, eyes, and muscles, preparing you for immediate action. As a consequence, areas like the nose, which are considered less vital for survival, experience reduced blood flow. This drop in nasal blood supply causes the temperature of your nose to visibly decrease, which can be captured through advanced infrared thermal imaging technology.
Scientists have even termed this effect the “nasal dip.” Multiple studies, such as those conducted at the University of Sussex, confirm that this temperature drop can range from 3°C to 6°C during times of acute stress. Interestingly, the speed at which the nose regains normal temperature can reflect how well an individual manages stress, pointing to a potential indicator for stress-related mental health conditions.
How was this discovery made?
To study this response, researchers used thermal cameras to record facial temperature changes in participants undergoing carefully designed stress tests, such as preparing an impromptu speech or performing challenging timed tasks in front of an audience. BBC science correspondent Victoria Gill recounts her firsthand experience during one such test, where her nose cooled by 2°C as anxiety set in while presenting a mock speech under pressure. Just minutes after she completed the task, her nose returned to its baseline temperature, reflecting her rapid stress recovery.
Thermal imaging’s sensitivity has proven it to be a reliable tool for studying both physical and emotional stress. Research has even expanded this technique to observe stress responses in animals, helping improve understanding of animal behavior and welfare.
What are the practical implications of this finding?
The discovery has multiple applications in the fields of psychology, health monitoring, and even daily stress management. Here’s how this research could impact the future:
- Non-invasive stress monitoring: Thermal imaging can measure stress visually without relying on self-report questionnaires or invasive tests like cortisol level monitoring.
- Mental health management: Tracking individual stress responses and the recovery process may help healthcare providers assess anxiety levels or monitor treatment progress in those with mental health conditions.
- Real-time feedback tools: Exploring personal stress levels using tools like wearable thermal devices could help individuals manage anxiety or stress as they occur, optimizing mental well-being.
- Animal welfare innovations: By utilizing thermal imaging, caretakers can detect stress in animals, creating safer conditions in farms, zoos, or conservation efforts.
Using thermal imaging in everyday life
A more consumer-friendly application of thermal technology could emerge in the form of wearable devices capable of tracking stress in real time via facial temperature changes. Think of wearable health monitors that not only measure steps or heart rate but also assess emotional well-being. The applications for athletes, professionals, or anyone managing high-stress lifestyles could lead to empowering health practices across the globe.
Additionally, researchers are also exploring how changes in temperature, combined with other stress markers, could guide therapy and interventions in individuals prone to anxiety disorders or chronic stress.
Beyond humans: improving animal welfare
It’s not just humans who benefit from this discovery. In sanctuaries and wildlife studies, thermal imaging is being used to assess how environmental changes or human interaction affect stress levels in primates and other animals. Surprisingly, the results show parallels to human responses. For instance, researchers found that showing calming videos to chimpanzees, such as images of baby chimps, helps reduce stress and restore nasal warmth, suggesting a pathway to improving emotional health in rescued animals.
How you can track your stress effectively
While thermal imaging tools are not widely available for individual use just yet, there are simple ways to monitor and manage your stress levels:
- Wearables: Consider devices that track stress-related metrics, such as heart rate variability or sleep quality. These offer valuable data on how your lifestyle impacts your overall well-being.
- Mindfulness practices: Regular meditation and deep-breathing exercises can help regulate stress responses.
- Long-term measures: If you’re curious about personalized stress responses, you can explore biomarker tracking or consultations with stress management experts.
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Frequently Asked Questions on Stress, Nasal Temperature, and Thermal Imaging
Why does stress cause your nose to get colder?
Stress activates your body’s “fight or flight” response, redirecting blood flow to critical areas such as the brain and muscles to help respond to perceived danger. This leaves less blood available for peripheral areas like your nose. As a result, nasal temperature drops, a phenomenon known as the “nasal dip.” Research at the University of Sussex found that during acute stress, the temperature of the nose can decrease by 3 to 6°C. Thermal cameras have been used to observe this change, offering a non-invasive way to detect and measure stress in real-time.
Learn more about this physiological phenomenon in the article published by the BBC.
How long does the nasal ‘cooling’ effect from stress last?
The time it takes for your nose to warm back up depends on how effectively you regulate stress. In studies, most participants’ noses returned to normal temperature within minutes of completing a stressful task. Those with stress-related conditions or poor coping mechanisms may experience longer recovery times, suggesting a reduced ability to manage stress. Thermal imaging could help health professionals and researchers assess an individual’s recovery speed and overall stress management capacity.
To explore more about how stress impacts temperature regulation, check out the publication by New Scientist.
Can thermal imaging be used to detect emotions besides stress?
Yes, thermal imaging can track a variety of emotions like fear, joy, or sadness by observing temperature fluctuations across the face. Different emotions trigger changes in blood flow and thermal patterns. A study published in the Journal of Thermal Biology showed that fear tends to lower nasal temperature, while emotions like joy can cause facial warming due to increased blood flow. This makes thermal imaging an effective tool for studying not only stress but also emotional regulation and responses, both in humans and animals.
Read more about this in the article by ThermoHuman.
Could thermal imaging replace traditional stress measurement tools?
Thermal imaging offers several advantages over traditional methods like self-reported questionnaires or cortisol-based blood tests. It’s non-invasive, quick, and easy to perform in real time without requiring physical contact. Thermal cameras can monitor subtle physiological changes under various stressful conditions, making them particularly useful for studying individuals unable to communicate, such as infants or animals. However, it’s likely to complement rather than fully replace existing tools.
To learn more about the benefits of thermal imaging applications, check this analysis in the American Journal of Managed Care.
Can stress detection technology benefit everyday life?
Yes, thermal imaging tools could evolve into wearable devices that monitor stress levels in real time by detecting facial temperature changes. Such technologies may help users actively manage stress by providing biofeedback. For example, during workouts or high-pressure meetings, these tools could indicate when stress levels are rising, prompting relaxation techniques. Scientists are already exploring similar applications for mental health management.
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How does this research extend to animal welfare?
Thermal imaging is increasingly being used to study stress responses in animals. For example, in wildlife sanctuaries, this technology has been applied to monitor stress-related behaviors in chimpanzees. Observing nasal cooling in stressed animals helps caretakers modify their environment or provide calming stimuli, such as soothing visuals, to promote their well-being. This approach aligns with broader goals of improving animal welfare.
Delve deeper into such innovative applications by reading a study overview on ScienceDirect.
Are stress-monitoring products available for the public today?
Currently, public access to thermal imaging stress monitors is limited, but consumer-friendly options are under research and development. Companies are working on wearable thermal devices that track stress in real time. Although these innovations aren’t widely available yet, other wearable products like smartwatches and fitness trackers that measure heart rate variability or skin temperature may provide alternative insights into stress levels.
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Can thermal imaging technology help in mental health therapy?
Yes, monitoring stress and recovery through thermal imaging could guide mental health interventions for conditions such as anxiety, PTSD, or depression. By tracking “nasal dip” patterns or heat variations in the skin, mental health professionals could gain deeper insights into stress responses and refine treatment approaches. Plus, this non-invasive method makes monitoring accessible for people with sensitivities to other tests.
Explore more on improving emotional well-being at ThermoHuman.
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About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp’s expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the “gamepreneurship” methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
