Despite your many layers, as well as a wool hat, gloves, and a scarf, you start shivering. “Shivering is a way for our bodies to generate heat when we are cold. Video: How to spot and treat hypothermia / Canadian Red Cross / Croix-Rouge canadienneAt what temperature do our bodies start shivering? When it comes to the temperature at which our bodies start shivering, “it really kind of varies,” says Sifuentes. For instance, a seven-year-old child might start shivering quickly when she’s cold because her body’s small size is less efficient at regulating temperature.