We all have different preferences for when is the right time to take off our winter blankets. And thermostat settings often form the basis of office arguments between women and men about the “right” temperature to set.
Between the sexes, there are always more similarities than differences. But research constantly shows that women prefer a higher indoor temperature than men.
But is there any science that supports the widespread belief that women “feel the cold” more than men?
Biological differences between men and women
With the same body weight, women tend to have less muscle to generate heat. Women also have more fat between the skin and the muscles, so the skin feels colder as it is a little further away from the blood vessels.
Women also tend to have a lower metabolic rate than men, which reduces the ability to produce heat during exposure to cold, making women more likely to feel cold as the temperature drops.
Read more: Why do I always have cold hands and feet? And when should I worry?
Hormonal differences
The hormones estrogen and progesterone, which are found in large amounts in women, contribute to body temperature and skin.
Estrogen dilates blood vessels in the extremities. This means that more heat can be lost to the surrounding air. And progesterone can cause skin vessels to constrict, which means less blood will flow to some areas to keep internal organs warmer, leaving women cooler. This hormonal balance changes throughout the month along with the menstrual cycle.
Hormones also keep a woman’s hands, feet, and ears about three degrees Celsius colder than men.
Central body temperature is higher the week after ovulation, as progesterone levels increase. This means that during this time, women may be especially sensitive to cooler outside temperatures.
Although the hands and feet are colder, women have warmer average central temperatures than men. This is probably the source of the saying “cold hands, warm heart”.
Women’s hands are about three degrees colder than men’s. Shutterstock
Read more: Why do I need to urinate more in the cold?
Are they just human?
The phenomenon that some of us prefer warmer temperatures than others is not unique to humans. Studies of many species of birds and mammals report that males usually congregate in cooler areas where there is shade, while females and offspring stay in warmer environments where there is sunlight.
Male bats prefer to rest on the high, cool peaks of the mountains, while females remain in the warmer valleys.
Mammalian females may have developed a preference for warmer climates to encourage them to rest with their offspring during stages when pups cannot regulate their own body temperature.
Therefore, the difference between heat detection mechanisms may provide an evolutionary advantage.
So how do we agree on the ideal temperature?
The “Scandinavian sleep method”, where couples sleep on separate blankets, is a way to overcome differences in temperature preferences.
In the workplace, personal comfort systems are thermal systems that heat or cool and can be placed locally in individual workplaces such as desks, chairs, or near the feet and legs. Examples include small desk fans, heated chairs and blankets, or foot warmers.
These systems provide individualized thermal comfort to meet personal needs without affecting others in the same space, and have been found to produce greater comfort in the workplace.
They can also be an energy-efficient method of balancing thermal comfort and health in office environments.
Read more: Curious children: If our body is happy at 37 ℃, why do we feel so unhappy when it’s too hot outside?