Why do people have differences in preferred temperatures

[Phil P]

Why do people have different ideas of what comfortable temperatures are? Some prefer 50 degree weather while others are comfortable at 90 degrees. Some hate humidity and some are fine with it. I can't really think of a reason why there is such a difference. We all have similar body temps and similar skin, so whats with the variation? Is it due to acclamation or due to the way our body is through genetics?

I think everyone prefers 72 degree weather with 50% humitity, but people are more tolerant of one end of the spectrum than the other.

What type of person are you?

[stuck]

skinny people, less calories, less bodyfat, prefer it warmer

chubbier people, more calories, more bodyfat, prefer it colder

[starla]

72 in the dead of winter sounds lovely.

I'm hoping my new finance career will eventually take me to the Caymans so I can enjoy 85 degrees, 85% humidity every day.

[Spartan26]

I'd prefer some warm nights. Not after it's been baking all day but kind of a warm breeze in the evening, not enough to make me sweat but that's what I like but so rarely get. Apparently, I'll have to go to Hawaii for that.

I'd definitely rather be too hot than too cold.

[Blorg]

Some of them are reptilian. Best way to spot sociopaths is to turn on the heater and see if they sweat. If they don't sweat they're reptilian, ie sociopaths. Not sure you'd be able to benefit from knowing this about them though, so I guess it's useless advice.

The skinny/chubby theory and its corresponding a/c anxiety was a key source of my parents' marital strife (obese mom / anorexic (literally) dad). I am skinny and I have a slow pulse (not reptilian) so I hold allegiance with the heater cult.

[starla]

I think it has a lot to do with your metabolism and circulation. Plenty of fat people get cold and some skinny people are practically furnaces.

[Phil P]

I think it has a lot to do with your metabolism and circulation. Plenty of fat people get cold and some skinny people are practically furnaces.

Circulation as in what? High blood pressure vs low blood pressure?

The metabolism idea makes sense, but I am a person with a very high metabolism and a very low tolerance for cold weather. And there is probably a high correlation of body weight to preference in temperature, as we see this in animals, like walruses. Fat insulates. So cold detesting fat people must have some other cause for their preference, like metabolism.

And what on earth would make one person prefer humidity and another to detest it?

And what about that reptilian idea? Did that highly functioning sociopath guy, I think his name was McGuffin or something, seem like a rather scaly fellow to you guys? Did he seem like he was the person that needed to sunbathe before he really got moving?

[jyng1]

72 in the dead of winter sounds lovely.

That's our average summer temperature. 52 is our average in June (coldest month).

[Faust]

Indoors I like it at around 65 or so because sleepy-Faust is stupid and throws on too many bedsheets in the middle of the night which gets me too hot which makes me toss and turn, ruining my sleep.

Otherwise, hot doesn't bother me.

[Bartender]

50ish degree's just cold enough for a light jacket and jeans is perfect imo.