Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition: Commonly used in medicine, the word decubitus is used to mean lying down. It is derived from the Latin verb âdecumbereâ meaning to lie down.
The brain regulates metabolism and manages other functions to keep your body temperature within a normal range. But the brain can only do so much, and a host of outside factors can affect your body temperature. Controlling and managing these outside factors is key to maintaining a normal body temperature.
The body is very good at keeping its temperature within a narrow, safe range in spite of large variations in temperatures outside the body. When you are too hot, the blood vessels in your skin expand (dilate) to carry the excess heat to your skin's surface.You may begin to sweat, and as the sweat evaporates, it helps cool your body. When you are too cold, your blood vessels narrow (contract) so that blood flow to your skin is reduced to conserve body heat.ody temperature is a measure of the body's ability to generate and get rid of heat.