Name: Do you really lose most of your body heat through your head?
Uploaded: 2025-12-11T15:27:35.504Z
Duration: 35 s
Description: Do we really lose most of our body heat through our heads? We hate to say it, but mom might be wrong about that one. Watch this video to learn where the long-held belief originated and why scientists say you don’t have to wear that winter hat to stay warm.

Do we really lose most of our body heat through our heads? We hate to say it, but mom might be wrong about that one. Watch this video to learn where the long-held belief originated and why scientists say you don’t have to wear that winter hat to stay warm.

The widely held belief that most body heat escapes through the head has been traced back to a flawed military experiment from the 1950s. In this experiment, volunteers wore survival suits that covered their bodies except for their heads, leading to the misconception that the head is the primary source of heat loss.

However, scientists have determined that only about 10% of body heat is lost through the head. In reality, a person would lose more heat if other parts of the body, such as the torso or legs, were left uncovered. To stay warm, it is important to cover all parts of the body, not just the head.

Do you really lose most of your body heat through your head?

Don't tell mom, but you won't lose all your body heat if you don't wear a winter hat, even if you're follicly challenged. That myth apparently started with a flawed military experiment in the 1950s. Volunteers wore survival suits in extreme cold. Only their heads were exposed, so most of the heat escaped there. But scientists found your head really only counts for about 10% of your body heat. So you'd lose more heat without a shirt or pants, even if your head was covered. Bottom line, cover all the things to stay warm and toasty.

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