In brief
Feeling cold when others are comfortable. Being unable to tolerate the cold is a symptom of an underactive thyroid, and cold hands or feet are a symptom of anaemia.
- A full blood count checks your red blood cells and haemoglobin.
- Thyroid blood tests start with TSH.
When to get help
Get help now
- If you need urgent medical help, call triple zero (000) immediately.
See your doctor if
- Feeling cold is new for you, or comes with tiredness, weight gain or dry skin.
Things that can contribute
- An underactive thyroid
- Anaemia
Questions you could ask your GP
- Should my thyroid function and blood count be checked?
Based on healthdirect Australia, Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). You can also check your symptoms with the healthdirect Symptom Checker, or speak with a registered nurse on 1800 022 222.
How it works
Being unable to tolerate the cold is listed among the symptoms of an underactive thyroid by healthdirect, along with tiredness, weight gain and dry skin. Cold hands or feet are listed among the symptoms of anaemia, along with tiredness, weakness and pale skin.
Thyroid hormones help set how fast your metabolism runs. A blood test can check thyroid function and red blood cells, so if feeling cold comes with other changes like these, ask your doctor about testing.
Connections
2 connections on the map. Select a topic to read its page.
Feeling cold easily can be caused by
Being unable to tolerate the cold is a symptom of an underactive thyroid.
Source: healthdirect Australia, Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
Cold feet or hands are a symptom of anaemia.
Source: healthdirect Australia, Anaemia
Sources
Each connection above names its own source. See every source AskBioMap uses.
Summarised from healthdirect, the Better Health Channel and Pathology Tests Explained. Sources read on 12, 13, 16 and 19 October 2026. General education only, not medical advice. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us through the HuBu-Intel contact page.