Why Women Feel the Chill More Than Men

If your evening routine involves layering two pairs of wool socks, a weighted blanket, and a cat while your partner sits next to you in a breezy t-shirt, relax, it is common. This simply means that you are a victim of biological engineering.

The thermostat wars aren’t just a cliché of domestic life; they are a fundamental clash of two completely different internal operating systems.

Here is the slightly chilling truth about why women are essentially walking popsicles at home.

The muscle-bound furnace

At the heart of the issue is Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Think of your metabolism as your body’s internal furnace. On average, men have a higher BMR than women.

Men typically have more muscle mass, which is metabolically active and generates heat even at rest. Women generally have a higher body fat percentage. While fat is great for insulating organs, it isn’t as effective at generating heat as muscle is. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology notes that the metabolic rate of women is often significantly lower than that of men of the same age and weight, meaning women produce less waste heat to keep their skin warm.

Hormones

Hormones act as the body’s internal chemical messengers, and they play a massive role in temperature regulation.

• Estrogen: This hormone slightly thickens the blood and can constrict blood flow to the capillaries in the extremities (fingers and toes) to keep core organs warm.

• The Menstrual Cycle: A woman’s core body temperature fluctuates throughout her cycle. After ovulation, progesterone levels rise, increasing core temperature. This might sound like it would make you feel warmer, but it actually makes you more sensitive to the cold outside air.

The size issue

Women are often smaller than men on average, providing a higher surface-area-to-volume ratio. This means there is more skin through which heat can escape relative to the total amount of body mass generating that heat.

Furthermore, a study in The Lancet found that while women’s core temperatures are actually slightly higher than men’s, their hands are consistently colder.

When a woman gets cold, her body is more efficient at pulling blood away from the skin and extremities to protect the core. This is why a woman might be freezing while her internal temperature is perfectly healthy.

Verdict

The next time your partner looks at you wrapped in a duvet and asks, “Is it really that cold?” you can officially tell them yes. Between a lower metabolic idle, a body that sacrifices its toes for its organs, and a hormonal cycle that moves the goalposts, you are living in a different climate than he is.

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