The Great Thermostat Debate Between Men And Women & How To Handle It

The thermostat.  There is no question that the thermostat is the source of much contention between men and women in their relationship.  It is a debate as old as time.  She wants it warm; he wants it cool.  She is most comfortable at 72 degrees while he prefers 68 degrees.  Why do they want such different temperature settings?  Who is right?  And what can they do to about it to keep the peace in their home?

It turns out that they want the thermostat set differently because their bodies are different.  A man’s body has a higher tolerance of the cold and their bodies are not as sensitive to the cold as a woman’s body is.  Both parties are right in what they state that they need to feel comfortable because they have different needs.

However, just because there are biological explanations for why men and women have different preferences for their thermostat does not mean that all the disagreements are magically solved.  It generally continues to be a source of debate for all the years of a marriage, or at least until a woman reaches menopause and her own body needs a cooler temperature.

In the meantime, there are some things that you can do to maintain the peace over the thermostat.  The best thing you can do is find a place to compromise.  If he prefers 68 and she prefers 72, then the logical thing to do would be to meet in the middle and agree to leave it on 70 degrees.  It also saves you money on your heating bill rather than constantly turning the thermostat up and down.

If that doesn’t make you comfortable, then adding layers or supplemental heat might help a woman.  We have an Eden Pure heater that I use to heat the area I am in while not disturbing my husband.  If a man is still too warm, perhaps wearing a lighter shirt might help or finding the area of the house that is cooler than the res.