Men usually have different perceptions of the idea of ‘too cold’ compared to women, and scientists may have finally found the explanation. Theconversation.com is the publication bringing the possible answer.
If a woman and a man have the same body weight, she tends to feature less muscle responsible for generating heat. Women’s skin also feels colder due to more fat being present between the muscles and the skin itself.
Last but not least, we must keep in mind that women also have a lower metabolic rate compared to men. This will reduce heat production capacity when the body is exposed to cold.
Since our bodies use energy permanently, even for activities such as breathing, that ‘special something’ is needed to tell it how to use that energy for such functions. That ‘something’ is metabolism.
Webmd.com tells us the following:
Basal metabolic rate (BMR) and resting metabolic rate (RMR) both measure the amount of energy —in calories —that your body needs to stay alive and function properly. Many people use the two terms interchangeably, but they have slightly different meanings.
The same source tells us that the BMR calculates the minimum amount of calories that are needed to perform functions such as digesting food, breathing, pumping blood through the body, maintaining a stable body temperature, growing hair, and more.
The average normal temperature of our bodies is generally accepted as 98.6°F (aka 37°C). We can experience hypothermia if our temperature reaches 95 degrees Fahrenheit. We will become unconscious if the temperature goes down to 86 degrees. Cardiac arrest can occur at 77 degrees.
However, it’s important to remember that most people are not able to survive if their core temperature will drop to 75 degrees. That’s also known as 23 degrees Celsius.
