Metabolism and heat Blame our slower metabolisms. A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology showed that the resting metabolic rate, or the amount of energy your body burns at rest, was 23% higher in men than women. A slower metabolism causes women to produce less heat so they tend to feel colder.
And more important, women have relatively less fat-free tissue than men—and fat-free tissue is where most of our heat generation takes place. “If you put men and women in the same environment, on average the woman feels cooler,” he said. “She also loses heat to the environment, and her heat production is less.”
Poor blood flow or decreased circulation in your arteries and veins can cause you to feel chilly, especially in your hands and feet. While there are several reasons for poor circulation, here are a couple you should look out for: peripheral artery disease (PAD) and Raynaud's disease or phenomenon.
This is partly down to hormones. In women, the female hormone oestrogen regulates the peripheral blood vessels; high levels of this hormone make them more sensitive to temperature.
Even when bodies are the same size, the amount of body fat inside can vary — and affect how cold or hot we feel in comparison to others. The greater the amount of body fat, the warmer one feels. Older people often might feel colder than younger people, as the fat layer under the skin that conserves heat thins with age.
“Since women have a lower metabolic rate, they tend to produce less heat than men do, which makes them feel colder,” explains Rob Danoff, DO, an osteopathic family physician from Philadelphia.
Higher levels of thyroid hormones mean increased energy production, higher body temperature, and lots of sweat, adds David Weissman, M.D., a primary care physician who sees patients via telehealth app LiveHealth Online.
Blame hormones, evolution
Estrogen can lower women's body temperature, cause heat to dissipate and slow blood flow to the hands and feet, making them more sensitive to cold.
Usually, having cold hands is just one of the ways the body tries to control its temperature and shouldn't be cause for concern. However, persistently cold hands — particularly with skin color changes — could be a warning sign of nerve damage, blood flow problems, or tissue damage in the hands or fingers.
Fluctuating estrogen levels can increase cold sensitivity, particularly as females reach the end of their reproductive cycle.
Cold intolerance is a common symptom of hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones. These hormones help regulate metabolism and temperature. When the thyroid is not producing enough thyroid hormones, the body's processes tend to slow down.
A drop in metabolic rate means a drop in heat production. Metabolism can drop as much as 10% in humans during sleep! Actually sleeping at night could also be the reason for the temperature drop. As night is colder than a day, keeping your body temperature higher would cost more energy.
Often, this is our body's response to being cold. But you might not know that chills can also be a symptom of anxiety. Physiological reactions to anxiety can cause your blood to flow less efficiently and, therefore, leave you with chills. If you have chills from anxiety, you can begin to feel shaky and start to shiver.
A common cause of cold emotions towards your partner could be that you'll spend way too much time together when you see someone all the time at the beginning of a relationship - it is exciting.
Things You Should Know. A woman might give you the cold shoulder if she's hurt or upset. She might also give you the cold shoulder if the relationship is moving too fast or she's not interested in you anymore. To handle the cold shoulder, open the line of communication and ask her about it.
Compared to men, women have less muscle, which is a natural heat producer. They also have 6 to 11 percent more body fat than men, which keeps the inner organs toasty, but blocks the flow of blood carrying heat to the skin and extremities.
While higher testosterone levels in men don't appear to change the temperature of the body, it appears it may cause men to feel the cold less by desensitising one of the receptors that detects cold.
Healthcare providers call this a vasospasm. Vasospasms can make your hands feel cold even if you're in a comfortable temperature. It's rare, but frequent vasospasms can damage tissue in your hand and cause skin sores (ulcers).
It could be that long term she doesn't see things working out. It could be that she wants something for her life she knows you couldn't give her. It could be that a relationship with you would not be appropriate for her at this time. It could be that being with anyone would distract her from her goals.
Try to get a conversation going, or ask them why they feel the need to distance themselves from you. This could be just a quick question like, “How are you?” or “What's up?” but anything that shows that you care about the other person and what they have to say will go a long way towards writing off any bad blood.
The simplest is that she's not getting enough sleep, for whatever reason (work, study, stress, etc.). She may also have some health problem, so it's advisable to get some blood tests done. She could not be eating well or she could be allergic to something, she could be pregnant or it could be more psychological.
If one or both of you tend to sweat in response to the shared body heat, many couples have found that a simple towel or cooling pajamas can be the answer. A layer of fabric that absorbs and then wicks away night sweats can make it possible to cuddle without discomfort and stop you from waking up in a puddle.
There are many reasons a person blows hot and cold. It could be that they are not ready for a committed relationship; they don't know what they want; they are not sure what to do about their intense feelings for you; or they are emotionally unstable or unavailable.
Female hormones, smaller body size and lower metabolic rate are all factors that contribute to a loss of heat from women. Women have a higher surface area to volume ratio than men and shed heat faster.