Oxygen Consumption and Body Temperatures During the Night

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Abstract
Simultaneous measurements of oxygen consumption (Vo2), rectal temperature (Tr), and mean weighted skin temperature (Ts) were made on nine young men (32 man-nights), who slept at night in a ‘comfortable’ ambient environment (25.5–27.8℃, 78–82℉). Tr and Ts were also measured in 10 additional men in the same environment. Significant decreases in Vo2, Tr and Ts during the night were found. On the average, Vo2 decreased gradually during the night and reached a low value at 5.1 hours after retiring. In approximately one-half the subjects, Vo2 changed in a consistent pattern each night; in the other one-half, considerable night-to-night variation was observed. Tr decreased 1.2℃ (2.1℉) during the night. This low point occurred 5.6 hours after retiring and was followed by a slight but significant elevation. In many instances, Ts rose slightly during the 1st hour, after which it slowly decreased. Examples of intra- and interindividual variation in the above variables are given. In addition, both body heat content and cumulative heat debt were calculated and are presented. Submitted on November 18, 1957