# in the heat of the night
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-heat-of-the-night/2821
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [August 25, 1999, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-heat-of-the-night/2821 "1999-08-25T02:02:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Pete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pete)
#### Post date: [August 25, 1999, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-heat-of-the-night/2821/1 "1999-08-25T02:02:00Z")
It is now 9:54 o’clock where I live (New York).
Around this time (8 to 11 p.m.) I notice that I feel more hot than at any other time of the day.
My veins dilate and become more varicose than usual. My head feels hot and I feel flush (and no, it’s not a hot flash!) but when I look in the mirror, my face is its usual creamy-beige-colored hue. Often, though, my ears get bright red during this time.
What’s the deal? Even though the air is cooler, it may be just as humid, which might account for the veins dilating. But why would I feel hot? And why would I feel flush?
* * *
I don’t know who first said “everyone’s a critic,” but I think it’s a really stupid saying.
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### Author:  [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)
#### Post date: [August 25, 1999, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-heat-of-the-night/2821/2 "1999-08-25T03:34:00Z")
Um…you’ve just finished dinner and you love Mexican food?
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### Author:  [@Pete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pete)
#### Post date: [August 25, 1999, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-heat-of-the-night/2821/3 "1999-08-25T05:05:00Z")
It’s now 1:02. The hot spell has gone. It usually does after around 11. So it’s something to do with sleepiness.
This happens in the winter, too, by the way.
I’m not crazy I tell you!!!
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### Author:  [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)
#### Post date: [August 25, 1999, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-heat-of-the-night/2821/4 "1999-08-25T05:22:00Z")
Sure, you’re not crazy, Pete, sure you’re not… But seriously, a lot of hormones are released in a pulsatile fashion and are influenced by circadian rhythms. Do you experience these “flashes” at the same time of day as the clock reads no matter what time the sun went down? It’s possible that this might have something to do with it.
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### Author:  [@Pete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pete)
#### Post date: [August 26, 1999, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-heat-of-the-night/2821/5 "1999-08-26T05:45:00Z")
Yeah, it’s always around 8 - 11, regardless of the season.
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### Author:  [@Keeves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeves)
#### Post date: [August 26, 1999, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-heat-of-the-night/2821/6 "1999-08-26T05:54:00Z")
Maybe you work in a cool place, live in a warm one, and home finally cools down by 11?
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### Author:  [@Pete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pete)
#### Post date: [August 25, 1999, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-heat-of-the-night/2821/7 "1999-08-25T19:14:00Z")
Nah, I’m a lazy teenager. It’s summer. I don’t work. I stay home all day.
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### Author:  [@Nickrz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickrz)
#### Post date: [August 25, 1999, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-heat-of-the-night/2821/8 "1999-08-25T19:20:00Z")
“More varicose than normal”? Varicose means _abnormally_ swollen or dilated. I’m trying to picture this.
On 2nd thought, no I’m not.