CLAIM:

Women feel colder in air-conditioned rooms. 

FACT: 

Women do feel colder than men in air-conditioned rooms, largely due to lower metabolic rates, hormonal factors, and outdated temperature standards designed around men.

Ever noticed how women in offices are often wrapped in shawls, sneaking out for a dose of warmth, or requesting colleagues to turn the AC down? The “AC is too cold” dilemma is so common that even Bollywood’s power couple, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan, aren’t spared. In a 2024 interview, Kareena laughed about their ongoing tug-of-war: “We surely fight over the AC temperature because Saif wants 16 degrees… and I’m like, ‘Saif!’ He says, ‘I know people have got divorced because of AC temperature.’ So he wants 16, I want 20, and we settle for 19—which is not too bad.” 

In a viral reel, Rahul Nair, who has 36.9K followers, explains: “Your office air conditioner is sexist, and here’s why. The formula for a standard office temperature was set back in the 1960s based on the metabolic rate of an average 40-year-old man. But recent studies have shown that women’s metabolic rates are significantly lower, up to 35% lower.” 

Nair points out that women’s discomfort is often dismissed as a personal problem, when in reality it is a design flaw in the system itself. 

The reel sparked relatable conversations online. One user wrote: “Finally someone said it.” Another added: “I spent the first 6 months of my first job in the office – even with the majority of women on the floor, we had to beg them to increase the temperature… Now I have WFH and my health is okay again.” 

So, do women feel colder in air-conditioned rooms?

At the same body weight, women generally have less muscle to generate heat and more fat beneath the skin, making their skin feel colder. They also have a lower metabolic rate, reducing heat production in cold environments.  

A 2015 study in Nature Climate Change found that thermal comfort standards were created in the 1960s using the metabolic rate of an average man. These standards can overestimate women’s metabolic rate by up to 35%, making buildings less energy-efficient and leaving women feeling colder.  

Another 2021 study on 40 college students (20 females and 20 males) examined gender differences in thermal comfort across temperatures from 14°C to 34°C. Researchers found that “Females tend to have lower metabolic rates than males at all temperatures, although significant differences were only found at 14, 16, and 18 °C. Females tend to be cooler and less comfortable than males at cool temperatures, which could be explained by the lower metabolic rates and lower skin temperatures in females. Males tend to be warmer and less comfortable at warm temperatures, which could be explained by higher metabolic rates and higher skin wetness in males. No significant gender differences in subjective or physiological responses were found at neutral conditions.”  

Beyond comfort, cold offices also impact performance. A 2019 PLOS One study involving over 500 participants found that women performed significantly better on math and verbal tasks when room temperatures were warmer, while men performed slightly better at cooler temperatures. The researchers concluded that workplaces could improve productivity by setting thermostats higher than current standards, which are typically optimised for men. 

In India, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) addressed this issue in part by mandating a default setting of 24°C for all new ACs from January 1, 2020.  

Dr Gita Prakash, an Internal Medicine Specialist based in Delhi, explained: “Normally, women have slightly lower blood pressure than men till a certain age, which makes them more prone to feeling cold. Their diets may also not be as balanced—many women have a habit of feeding the family first and eating later. This can lead to vitamin deficiencies that lower immunity. I quite agree that before the age of 40–45, these factors play a big role. Metabolic rates are also a little lower in women compared to men at a certain age.” 

She also stressed the importance of movement in colder office environments, explaining that sitting for long hours in an AC room can lead to stiffness. Women, being more prone to low calcium and vitamin D deficiencies, should especially make an effort to stay active. She advised walking regularly, even suggesting that employees get up and walk whenever they receive a phone call, as this improves circulation, builds muscle strength, and boosts basic immunity. In her words, “Walk and talk should be the office policy.” 

On the question of productivity in warmer environments, Dr Prakash was cautious: “I’m not so sure about those studies. I just feel women need to be more careful about staying active and eating well. Many are working in offices and then going home to cook and manage families. So the basic amount of work they do increases, and the input of food, I always feel, is a little not as good as it should be.” 

According to her, a balanced office temperature is key: “Twenty-four degrees Celsius is a good temperature to have—it’s comfortable for most people. If too many people are in the office, the room may get warmer, and you might bring it down to 22. But by and large, 24 works well. What should be avoided is sitting right in front of the blast of an AC, as that can cause problems.”

Also read: Air pollution, rising temperatures fuel global increase in stroke burden