As the weather gets warmer, offices activate the air-con. But with such different temperature preferences, where should you set the thermostat?

Finding the optimal temperature that suits everyone can be an inconceivable task. So why do we’ve got such different temperature preferences? And doesn’t it just affect our comfort level?

Women prefer a rather warmer office

Although there are at all times more similarities than differences between the sexes, women are inclined to feel cold more often than men.

AND 2021 study of over 38,000 participants found that 38% of respondents were dissatisfied with the temperature of their office. Almost two thirds of the dissatisfied were women.

When asked in other studies less satisfied women said they preferred higher temperatures, while less satisfied men preferred a cooler office environment.

Although the small print vary, optimal temperature within the office Down women is commonly about 1°C higher than in men. One study reported that the optimal temperature is 24.0°C for ladies and 23.2°C for men.

Can temperature affect your ability to work?

Room temperature can impact productivity. It has been found that men perform higher in warmer environments (above 25°C). worse in math and verbal tasks, while women performed worse at lower temperatures (below 25°C).

But for other tasks, temperature has no effect. The researchers found no difference within the sexes’ performance on a spread of cognitive tasks, comparable to cognitive reflection tests (where the questions are such that the intuitive answer is the mistaken answer), or cognitive load tasks (by which working memory is overloaded).

It is commonly suggested that temperature may influence concentration, but this is just not at all times the case.

When subjects (men and girls) accomplished a series of cognitive tasks, the outcomes were the identical not applicable at temperatures from 22°C (considered cold) to 25°C (considered hot).

These researchers argued that maintaining the next temperature is perfect for environmental advantages and energy savings.

What is behind the temperature differences between the sexes?

Hormones play a key role in our temperature preferences.

Testosterone causes greater muscle development across the arms. Muscles produce heat, which is why men usually tend to have warmer necks than women. This area is especially sensitive to low temperatures.

Estrogen promotes and maintains difference fat distribution in women who are inclined to wear light more fat between skin and muscles in lots of areas. It makes the skin feel cooler and causes a preference for barely higher temperatures.

Women also are inclined to lower metabolic rate (or slower metabolism) than in men. This means women produce less heat and their bodies are more at risk of feeling cold in lower temperatures.

Women’s preferences can change from week to week

The menstrual cycle has a big impact on temperature preferences. After ovulation, the ovaries release more progesterone. This causes the body’s core temperature warm by roughly 0.3–0.6°C. This signifies that women will perceive the surface temperature as lower than men as a consequence of the greater temperature drop in comparison with their core temperature.

Progesterone helps too save heatdraining blood from the skin to the organs. This signifies that women’s hands, ears and feet can be ready 1-2°C colder than men’s. It is harder to feel warm in a chilly environment when your hands and feet are very cold.

At other times of the month the situation will be the opposite. Estrogen causes blood to flow into the skinleading to greater heat dissipation and potential hot flashes.

During pregnancy and menopause, hormones change again and can flow in several directions. This can make you feel cold, but additionally hot flashes and a transient increase in feelings of warmth, with cooler environments being strongly preferred.

This signifies that some women may prefer a lower temperature one week after which the next temperature the following.

What else influences temperature preferences?

Generally, body size and composition has a robust influence on temperature preferences. Since muscles produce heat, the more muscle mass we’ve got, the more heat we generate, keeping us warm.

Temperature perception can even be influenced by many individual aspects, comparable to age, height and weight. Overweight body size is related to a greater preference for cooler environments.

Age can also affect thermoregulatory mechanisms, comparable to our body’s ability to sweat, in addition to noticing changes within the body temperature. Children too less likely notice cold than adults.

Of course, the kind of work you do also has an impact. The more you move, the more heat you produce.

The dress code within the office also has an impact. If heavy business suits or formal attire are expected, a cooler environment could also be more appropriate.

Ethnicity can also have an effect. After side-by-side comparison in a single study, Asian participants reported that they did more convenient in environments 5°C warmer than participants of European descent.

And finally, we cannot ignore individual preferences. Some people could have grown up in a chilly environment and easily turn into accustomed to the cold, or vice versa.

What in regards to the environmental impact?

Heating and cooling can provide 20–50% energy household use i 40-70% energy use in office buildings.

In summer, higher temperatures within the office don’t use as much energy. In fact, energy consumption increases by 5-10% for every of them 1°C the temperature is lowered.

However, you don’t desire to shut them down an excessive amount of. Air conditioning systems also reduce humidity by removing moisture from the air, which is a very important measure to forestall moisture from forming in indoor spaces mold growth.

Because hormones that influence temperature preferences change throughout the month, health status, body composition, individual experiences and age all play a task, there may never be a one-size-fits-all approach to setting the office thermostat.

Therefore, it is suggested that employees be encouraged to have open conversations about temperature, and managers should hearken to each member’s needs and be willing to switch the thermostat if mandatory.

Imagine this: you just woke up and got out of bed. Your feet hit the floor and your legs buckle. They are in absolute agony – yesterday’s run has really began to haunt you.

And then you keep in mind that you forgot to stretch before and after your run. Surely that is why you’re so sore today. Is that so?

We’ve all heard about the importance of stretching before and after exercise. But does it really make a difference? Here’s what the science says.

What is stretching?

There are many differing kinds of stretching, but two of them are the commonest static and dynamic stretching.

Static stretching involves moving a muscle (or muscles) right into a lengthened position and holding it for: short period of time – often from 15 to 90 seconds.

A typical example could be to maintain your heels on the ground while leaning forward to the touch the ground with your straight knee to stretch your hamstring muscles.

Meanwhile, dynamic stretching involves actively moving muscles and joints backwards and forwards inside the available range of motion.

Common examples include swinging your legs backwards and forwards, side to side, or swinging your arms in a circle.

Stretching before exercise

The main reasons people stretch before exercising are to extend flexibility, improve performance, and reduce the risk of injury.

Although we all know stretching increases flexibilityits influence on efficiency AND damage is less clear. But let’s take a look at what the evidence says for every of them.

Flexibility

Both static and dynamic stretching increase flexibility, although static stretching appears to have some effect barely greater effect.

Short-term static stretching inhibits sympathetic nervous system (your fight or flight system), which reduces the stiffness of your body muscles and tendons. This will make you more flexible immediately after stretching.

In the long run, static stretching is believed to extend flexibility by increasing length Your muscles and tendons or simply creating you more tolerant of discomfort attributable to stretching.

Efficiency

When it involves improving performance, this may depend on the type of physical activity you perform.

If you’re going to be doing high ranges of motion – like gymnastics or dancing – then improving your flexibility after stretching will likely translate into higher performance.

On the other hand, research has shown that static stretching could cause problems degrade performance by as much as 5% in activities requiring maximum strength and power, akin to shot put and powerlifting.

This could also be as a consequence of the decreased nervous system activation we mentioned earlier, which makes it harder for your muscles to supply force.

However, significant disturbances only appear to occur during stretching over 60 seconds. Stretching for lower than 60 seconds appears to have a minimal effect on performance (about 1%).

On the other hand, dynamic stretching increases muscle temperature and the speed with which the nerves send messages to your muscleswhich might improve muscle performance.

Dynamic stretching has been shown to increase strength and power in a small amount. This may make it a greater option before dynamic activities akin to sprinting, jumping, lifting weights or playing team sports.

Trauma and pain

When it involves reducing injury, it isn’t clear whether stretching before exercise is useful.

Many studies have shown stretching has no effect. However, many of them focus on the effects of stretching on all kinds of injuries, which can not show the true effect of stretching.

For example, a broken arm from a tackle might be grouped with a calf strain, nevertheless it would appear logical that stretching could be more likely to scale back the risk of a calf muscle strain than a broken arm.

AND last review examined the effects of stretching on various types of injuries and located that static stretching could reduce the risk of muscle, but not tendon, injuries. So far, there isn’t a evidence to suggest that stretching would cut back the risk of bone fractures and phone injuries.

There is little research examining whether dynamic stretching alone can reduce the risk of injury. One study have shown that dynamic stretching can improve joint stability, which can reduce the risk of joint injuries (akin to ankle sprains). However, further research is required before any conclusions will be drawn with certainty.

Many people also stretch before exercise to stop muscle soreness after exercise. However, research has shown Stretching before exercise has no significant effect on muscle soreness after exercise.

Stretching after training

The main reason for stretching after exercise is to enhance recovery and reduce muscle soreness. The hottest method is static stretching.

However, as with stretching before exercise, research doesn’t show that stretching after exercise reduces the intensity of exercise muscle damage or soreness.

This has also been suggested really intense stretching can damage your muscleswhich can even worsen muscle soreness. However, this will not be a consistent finding and should only occur to certain people.

However, stretching works promote leisure. Gentle stretching will be an excellent method to loosen up after an intense exercise session.

So what should you do?

Maybe lack of stretching is not the reason for pain after running in spite of everything. Your legs probably hurt because you simply ran further or harder than usual.

However, this doesn’t mean that you should not stretch.

Available evidence suggests that performing dynamic stretching before exercise will increase flexibility and improve performance, whether you plan to run, play a team sport, or lift weights.

Static stretching will be great if you want to extend your flexibility, just don’t do it right before intense exercise. And after exercise, gentle static stretching may also help your body move right into a more relaxed state.

As for the “trick” to creating a marriage work long-term, Ice Cube says in case you desire a relationship to last, it’s about making a alternative. He would know this because he and his wife, Kimberly Woodruff, have been married for 32 years.

The hip-hop icon, actor, and owner of Big3 was a guest on Cam Newton’s recent podcast, and there he was asked about his family and the way they’ve handled his long-running profession.

“My family is the most important thing to me,” he said. I might be on the streets loads greater than I’m now, but that’s not where I need to be. I prefer to be present and there for the individuals who were there for me.”

During the conversation, Cube revealed that in terms of marriage and family, he has at all times had an important example. Despite the ups and downs of growing up in South Central Los Angeles, his parents were together and he had a healthy, united family. So when he got married, he was committed, and it remained that way for the 32 years that he and Kimberly were husband and wife. When Newton, known for speaking openly about his struggles with monogamy, asked if they might still be together, Ice Cube replied that it was a choice they made to be and remain a family.

“We wish to be. You should want it,” he said. “You just should want it. I don’t need anyone to not have my woman. She is mine. I’m hers.

Newton then went on to discuss the barriers to lasting relationships, from temptation, to breakups, tragedies and more, and noted that so long as Cube and his wife are married, they cannot say “doves are flying” and roses at that every single day. The rapper said that every single day can’t be a ray of sunshine with anyone.

“Who in your life is like this? You don’t like your mother on a daily basis. Sometimes she gets on your nerves. One day your brother, sister. “Not every day of the people you love or spend a lot of time with will be a bed of roses,” he said. – And you may’t expect that out of your spouse. The point is, are you all family or not?”

He emphasized that such devotion may also happen without marriage.

“It has nothing to do with marriage because I actually have seen people break up and be as close as after they were together and supporting one another; they’re just still there because they’ve made a commitment to one another, though they could not find a way to live together. It’s really about true commitment, not continually attempting to satisfy all of your needs. You should want to provide. AND [it has to be] the person you wish to give – your time, effort and love.

Ice Cube and Kimberly Woodruff have been married since 1992. They have 4 children together and are also grandparents.