Why Women Feel Colder Than Men: Doctors Reveal the Surprising Reason

In the winter months, you would commonly see women wearing extra layers of warm clothes along with hats, gloves, and other protective gear – it is because they feel colder. While this is something many

of us would have experienced anecdotally, there is a scientific explanation behind why women would feel colder than men.

Higher core body temperature

There are many factors that regulate your body temperature – from the medicines you take to the food you eat and your stress levels. Also, experts say there are variations in body temperatures across different age groups and sexes. There are biological differences between men and women that contribute to the disparity in heat perception between the sexes. A few of these factors include:

• Fluctuation in hormone levels
• Changes in metabolic rate
• Muscle mass
• Distribution of body fat
• Body surface area

According to experts, the amount of muscle and fat you have mostly determines how much you feel the cold. Hormone levels play an important part in deciding your body’s temperature sensitivity, one of the main reasons that the threshold of cold is different among men and women. Studies have shown that women have a slightly higher core body temperature than men, which ideally means that women should feel warmer than men, but it has the opposite effect. Experts say if your body is used to being warm, chilly air can feel even colder in contrast.

High estrogen levels make women feel cold

Cold sensitivity among women can even rise more when you are on hormonal birth control. It happens because many hormonal contraceptives include estrogen, which causes thickening in the blood, reducing blood flow to the capillaries that supply your hands and feet. Also, oral contraceptives raise body temperature, again contributing to women’s already-higher core temperatures. Doctors say even the ovulation period, which usually lasts for 24 hours and occurs around 14 days into the menstrual cycle, majorly affects a woman’s sensitivity to the cold, due to higher estrogen during this time. High estrogen dilates the blood vessels, thereby allowing more heat to be lost through the surface of the skin.

Women’s body size and metabolic rate

If you compare the size, women are smaller than men and so have a lesser body surface area to emit heat from. They also have less muscle tissue to generate heat. However, women have more body fat than men, with a healthy range from 21 to 32 per cent. For men in the same age category, the healthy range is 8 to 19 per cent. While studies say body fat does not keep you warm as muscle does, women’s lower muscle mass makes them feel colder than men. Also, as you age, you lose your extra muscle mass – the reason why older people often feel the cold more later in life.

When should you worry about feeling cold?

According to experts, feeling very cold may also be a sign of poor blood circulation, as it leaves your body lacking the fuel it needs for energy and to stay warm. Raynaud's disease is common among women – a condition that occurs as a result of poor circulation and may require treatment to manage uncomfortable symptoms. In Raynaud’s, the blood stops flowing properly to your fingers and toes, and is often triggered by feeling cold, anxious, or stressed. Symptoms of Raynaud’s include numbness, pain, or pins and needles in the affected area.