Turn up the AC!
You’re shivering again, your partner is sweating again — and your age-old battle over the thermostat is at a standstill, again. While you may never come to an agreement, you can better understand why such differences exist. “For some, it is simply a lifestyle preference” reflecting the climate they grew up in, says Dr. Jennifer Caudle, an osteopathic physician near Philadelphia. For others, it can be related to medical issues. Anemias, nutritional deficiencies, older age, low body fat (which may or may not be a health concern) and conditions like Raynaud’s disease can make you cold, while hyperthyroidism can make you feel hot, Caudle says. Medications can also play a role. Here’s what else may be behind other common “battles:”
Why do some people crave sweets, while others go for salty foods?
Pancakes or eggs? Chocolate or chips? Sweet or savory? Often, people lean one way or the other — and, contrary to popular belief, such cravings aren’t your body’s call for nutrients it’s lacking, says Elizabeth Ward, a registered dietitian in the Boston area. “If that were the case, you would go for beans and nuts [instead of chocolate] for the magnesium,” she says. Instead, a sweet tooth may be in part hormonal and age-related, since women and younger folks are more likely to have it. Your mom’s diet when she was pregnant and breast-feeding seems to play a role, too. Other than that, Ward says, “cravings are based on memories of foods that taste great and make you feel good.”
Why are some people criers and others rarely shed a tear?
There are people whose emotional floodgates open when they watch a commercial — and those who struggle to squeeze out a tear at funeral. While crying frequently or never can point to mood and personality disorders, healthy people can be at either end of the emotional spectrum, too, says Julie Pike, a clinical psychologist in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Factors like gender, previous trauma, stress, hormonal fluctuations and extraversion can influence where you fall, she adds. Criers may also be among the 20 percent of the population research suggests are “highly sensitive,” or more attuned to and affected by their environments. “People are often pathologized for these traits,” Pike says, “while they have many positive qualities as well.”
Why do some people remember their dreams and others claim they don’t dream?
If you frequently recall crazy dreams you’ve had, chances are it’s simply because you’re often woken up in the middle of REM sleep, the phase in which dreams occur, says Michael Grandner, an assistant professor of psychiatry, psychology and medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, where he directs the sleep and health research program. That could be due to a condition that’s rousing you like restless leg syndrome, an alarm clock that interrupts REM sleep or a tendency to get a lot of REM sleep. Whatever’s causing it, Grandner explains, “your wakefulness intrudes in and can observe what is going on in your mind before you wake up.”
Why do some people have ‘baby fever,’ while others are averse to kids?
If you see a baby, does your heart ache for one — or do you want to run? Why some people have so-called baby fever isn’t always associated with their relationship status or fertility, and can change over time, says Dr. Shannon Clark, an OB-GYN in Galveston, Texas. But it’s real, with one 2012 study finding it’s more than a desire to have sex or to meet societal expectations. Instead, it can be linked to being around children, feeling your biological clock ticking, becoming financially stable or meeting the right person, says Clark, who had twins at age 41. “I never experienced baby fever until I had finished my medical training and married at age 39,” she says.
Why are some people early birds and others night owls?
Do you thrive on rising with the sun — or feel most alive once it sets? Your answer largely depends on genetics, Grandner says. “We all have a natural ‘biological night’ at a certain time in the 24-hour period,” he says. “This can vary from person to person, and some people may just have their ‘biological night’ earlier or later than others.” You can reinforce — or attempt to alter — your inclination via light exposure, which sends your brain a “daytime signal,” Grandner adds. Beyond that, lark and owl prevalence also varies with age, with young kids waking up early, teens sleeping in and older adults rising early again, he says.
More from U.S. News
What’s the Healthiest Month to Be Born In?
Am I Just Sad — or Actually Depressed?
Why Are Some People Always Hot and Others Always Cold? originally appeared on usnews.com
