When one of you feels cold and the other does not

Sep 12, 2026

Short answer: Solve it with clothing rather than with the room temperature. An extra layer for the one who is cold costs nothing, while two degrees more on the thermostat is felt by both of you and leaves one person too warm.

A layer instead of two degrees

A thin layer under your clothes is roughly equal to two degrees of difference in how warm you feel. That is the same change you would otherwise make on the thermostat, but now it only applies to one person. A thin undershirt adds no bulk. See bamboo undershirts for men as a light extra layer.

The thermostat affects you both

When the room gets warmer, it gets warmer for everyone. The one who was cold feels better, but the other starts to feel too warm and has to take something off. You end up where you started, just with the roles swapped. Clothing can be adjusted for each person, which is why it works better in a shared home.

Start with the feet

Your feet have a big effect on how cold the whole body feels. Cold feet can make you shiver even when the rest of you is dressed warmly. A pair of warm socks therefore often works faster than another jumper. Keep a thicker pair ready for the evening. See socks for men for everyday wear and home.

Thin layers beat one thick one

Several thin layers give more freedom than one thick one. A layer close to the skin holds the warmth, and a looser one on top can come off when you warm up. That makes it easy to adjust during the evening without changing your whole outfit. Soft materials against the skin make several layers comfortable.

Keep an extra layer by the sofa

An extra layer only gets used if it is within reach. If the jumper is in the bedroom, you stay seated and stay cold. Keep a soft jumper or a blanket by the sofa so the one who is cold can grab it without getting up. See the most popular styles from Copenhagen Bamboo for soft layers at home.

Let the cold one choose

The person who is cold knows best what helps. Some feel better with warm feet, others with something around the neck or an extra layer at the waist. Let each person find their own solution instead of agreeing on a single temperature. It saves arguments and gives you both the warmth you actually need.

Evenings and nights

Many people feel coldest in the evening after sitting still for a while. Socks and an undershirt can then do the same job as an extra radiator. In bed, each person can have their own duvet so one can sleep warm and the other cool. It is a simple way to avoid both of you sleeping badly.

When the cold does not go away

If you are often very cold even with several layers on, it may be worth looking at things other than clothing. It can be about sleep, activity or how long you sit still. If you feel much colder than before, or without a clear reason, it is a good idea to talk to your doctor.