Today's Lockhorns cartoon shows the couple seated across from each
other in their living room. He's dressed normally; she's wearing a
parka with the hood up. He says, "OK, I'll turn the thermostat up." In
my experience, this reflects reality. Why do women seem more sensitive
than men not only to temperatures below, say, 70 in the house, but
also to drafts? I seem to recall hearing that women have more
subcutaneous fat than we men, which, if true, makes their sensitivity
even more puzzling.
As I look back on my life with three successive wives and on numerous
social occasions with other women, I remember the countless times I
had to turn the house thermostat up, turn down the a/c in the car, or
move to another table in a restaurant (because "honey, I'm sitting
under a draft--can we move?").
What's the deal with this?! |
Clarification of Question by
nautico-ga
on
19 Feb 2004 05:41 PST
Eureka! I found the answer:
Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Friday, April 28, 2000
There Are Reasons that Women Feel Cold More Often than Men
ROCHESTER, MINN. -- Why do women often feel cold when men find the
temperature comfortable? It?s about body size and body fat, according
to the May issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter.
Due to their typically smaller size, women usually have a slightly
lower metabolic rate, which affects the amount of heat they generate.
In addition, women generally have less muscle mass (and muscle is a
major producer of body heat). Body fat distribution also can play a
role. Compared to men, women tend to have less insulating fat on the
upper body and around the waist.
Certain medical conditions can make you feel cold, too. If your
sensitivity to cold seems to be getting worse, see your doctor. It
could be caused by iron-deficient blood, an underactive thyroid or
decreased blood flow to the extremities.
Assuming you don?t have a medical problem causing the cold, here?s the
best advice to warm up ? get moving. Increased physical activity can
warm you up.
Shelly Plutowski 507-284-2417 (days) 507-284-2511 (evenings) e-mail:
newsbureau@mayo.edu
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