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.
Your body is pretty smart. It knows how to keep your temperature right around 98.6Â°F (37Â°C) to keep you and your cells healthy. Your skin can respond to messages sent out by your hypothalamus (say: hy-po-THAL-uh-mus), the brain's inner thermometer.