A few years ago, Merav Michaeli, then Israel's Minister of Transport, decided to raise the temperature of the air conditioners on trains, asserting that “women are always colder.” Michaeli also argued that “the world is run according to men,” and indeed, historically, the study of human physiology has been predominantly based on the male body, with the assumption that findings can be generalized to all humans. However, before drawing conclusions about who feels colder, it’s important to examine the evidence from existing studies.
2 View gallery ( Photo: shutterstock Asap/ creative ) How do we perceive changes in temperature? The human body constantly produces heat while maintaining a core temperature of around 37 degrees Celsius, regardless of external conditions—whether hot or cold. To achieve this, the brain continuously monitors body temperature using temperature-sensitive receptors located on the skin and deep within the body, which facilitate heat sensing. Environmental temperature plays a major role in influencing body heat, so most of these receptors are distributed across the skin.
Additionally, heightened activity in some internal organs—including the intestines, spinal cord, and certain brain regions—can increase body heat, necessitating receptors in these areas as well. If the body’s temperature becomes unbalanced, the brain initiates a series of autonomic processes, such as sweating, and behavioral responses, such as seeking shade, to restore a b.