Three Reasons Why Women Feel Cold More Often Than Men 0 9

Imagine a scene from a romantic comedy: he and she are returning home after dinner at a restaurant on a warm summer evening. Suddenly, it gets chilly, and the lady turns to her companion, asking to borrow his jacket, which he tenderly drapes over her shoulders. Is this just another cliché from movies? Perhaps, but there is a scientific basis behind it. Women do indeed feel cold more often than men. Mike Tipton, a professor of physiology at the University of Portsmouth, presented several arguments in favor of this assertion. The scientist attempted to explain why women get goosebumps when men do not feel discomfort from low temperatures.

First, men and women differ in their blood flow dynamics. This has been confirmed by studies in which people of various ages were placed first in a warm environment and then in a cold one. The results were clear: women got cold faster than men.

“Women have a more pronounced vascular response, which leads to this sensitivity to temperature changes. Estrogen—a sex hormone that enhances this response—may also play a role,” Tipton explains.

Second, men and women significantly differ in body fat percentage. Women typically have about 10% more body fat—this is an anatomical feature that cannot be avoided. At first glance, one might assume that in this case, men should feel colder. However, this is not the case, asserts Mike Tipton. The fact is that fat serves as an insulator, protecting the body from heat loss, so women retain warmth longer. Their skin remains cold, goosebumps appear, and shivering occurs.

Third, evolution plays a role, adds general practitioner Sarah Jarvis. In ancient times, men spent more time outdoors, hunting in snow and rain, while women more often stayed in more comfortable conditions, caring for children. This suggests that women's bodies have adapted worse to cold conditions over hundreds of thousands of years. Nevertheless, recent studies have emerged, with authors claiming that women were also skilled hunters. Cultural historians and science historians, in turn, emphasize why the myth of the male provider can be harmful to society.