To think being too cold is worse than being too hot

[smileplease6]

I'm that person who can't stand the air con or the windows open if it's not hot outside. I hate the breeze while I'm working and my hands get very cold easily.

But I always seem to work with people who want the Office about 16c. I usually grin and bare it but sometimes I'm so uncomfortable I can't work.

I'm not saying everyone should be sweating and boiling, but I feel being cold is worse than being a little warm. AIBU?

It's much better to have windows open and fresh air circulating. I work with a bunch of colds in a care environment, therefore lots of potential bugs and germs. Every time I open a window for ventilation a colleague will come along and close it because it's too cold, even within the last fortnight where it's been got here. Then everyone catches the same virus from the hot stuffy environment and everybody wonders why!

Hot not got

I have suffered this for my entire working life and find it so frustrating. I am absolutely sick of the glib little expectation that you can add layers for cold but can't take everything off. I don't think hot people realise just how chilled you can get in a draft, and it's always cold people who have to give in. IME hot people will never compromise and have the windows shut for half the time.

If you sit away from the windows you end up in a cross draft where the air from the windows on one side meet that from the other.

I have found working in the cold extremely painful. I've been in an office in the past sitting in thermal tights, thick trousers, a vest, a t-shirt, a thin jumper, a thick jumper and a coat and felt absolutely chilled all the way through because other people insist on having the windows open when the air outside is cold. The person sitting by the open window is wearing a jacket or jumper; just come dressed for the conditions! If you are a hot person wear a thin top and get a fan!

If it's baking hot outside then I have no issue with windows open.

I would rather be too cold, because I can put on another layer or if I'm at home go and lie in the bath, or switch on a heater. If im too hot, there's very little I can do as where I live there is very little need for air con.

And I disagree it's always cold people that have to give in! I spent a very uncomfortable time working in a space that was stupidly warm and nobody would allow me to open the windows EVER.

I suffer from a chronic illness that is absolutely made worse and more painful by the cold. I’m loving this weather just now (I live in a Northern city famed for cold and rain) and it’s why we holiday in hot countries. To me there’s no such thing as too hot weather wise.

Unless it’s down around 14deg then it’s usually possible to layer up.
When it’s too hot there’s nothing people can do but sit and sweat. I hate it. Used to work in London in old offices without air con and it would be 30+ and nobody could think.

It was suggested on this thread that 19c is a comfortable medium for most people. I am someone who prefers about 15-16c but I can live with 19c. Is there anyone here who wouldn't be comfortable at 19c?

I don't mind being cold but I get really uncomfortable and feel sick when I'm too hot, sadly I get hot very easily and the people I work with all feel the cold so even in winter the room is too warm for me because of how high they turn the heating. I think it has to go with how the majority are comfy and the rest of us have dress in a way that helps us cope.

Being too cold is bloody awful. Doesn't help that you always have some bright spark saying "put a jumper on". So much easier to cool down if you're hot by fanning yourself etc. Being too cold is grim. I really struggle with the cold and get sent home from work if it's too cold now, including air con.

PS.. Partly because my body temperature sits a degree lower than it should. I do have a fit note that states temperature so if it goes below I can go home because of a reasonable adjustment.

I would personally rather be too cold than too hot. Can't concentrate in the heat.

Can you get a thermometer to see what the room temperature actually is (£7.50 on amazon) and then go from there? Below 18C is unreasonable imo, and 20 would be 'room temperature'.

I'm like you, OP! Absolutely hate being cold and really feel the cold, even a small breeze! I struggle to concentrate at work sometimes as I'm sitting there feeling chilly, it's horrible!

Feel like I’m really going to die when too hot. Awfully grumpy when cold. But not ready to die.

YABU. The cold person can put on more clothes, but in a workplace setting, there's a limit to how much you can take off.

I’m always too hot so this may cloud my judgement but - I think you can always make yourself warmer (more layers) but I find it near impossible to make myself cooler. You have to keep at least one layer of clothes on

YABU. Put a jumper on (lighthearted). 😂

To all the people saying glibly "Put another layer on if you're cold" - well yes. We have thought of that, thank you. But we are still cold. This winter I wore thermal leggings under my jeans, thick walking socks over my normal socks, boot slippers, thermal tshirt, normal longsleeved top, and a fleece, and I would still be cold. And that was indoors, in a centrally heated house. For walking to school, I would add another fleece, a thick scarf, a woolly hat, and two pairs of gloves, and I would get home almost crying with pain because my hands were so cold I couldn't move them (don't think pushing the buggy helped, couldn't swing my arms to get the blood going).
The upside of being a coldy is that I stay cool as a cucumber in hot weather. It's lovely.

Gloves, extra socks and the rest only work if your circulation is good and your extremities are at least partly warm so the energy can be trapped. Some people need external heat (like I do!)

is rather be hot , but I do have limits too. I'm not that happy above 30 degrees or less if it's humid

It's a lot easier to layer on more clothing to warm up. When you're too hot, there's only so much you can remove before it becomes illegal.

I live in a place that is quite frequently 110F+ for days at a time and being too hot is horrid.

I pass out when I'm too hot.

A happy medium is usually possible without having to pander to any one person's preferences.

Are any of you 'put more layers on' people reading any of the many, many responses saying that doesn't work?!

Genuinely, I'd love to know what it's like to not be warding off the cold all the time. Just for a day. Being cold all the time is like having everything clenched, all the time. I imagine being a warm person feels like being on holiday all the time.

It's awful working in extremes at either side. I am sure 16 degrees is below the minimum temperature and that is exceptionally cold for an office so are you sure it was that.
Today at work it was sweltering, unbearable to work in so we put the air con on. Someone walked in, turned it off without asking anyone - so about 15 people sweltering just so 1 okay.
I don't know what the answer is but definitely try different places as every office has hotspots away from windows/drafts.

No. A warm person doesn't feel like they're on holiday. It tends to induce dizziness, nausea, lethargy etc.