Kuwait's Ice Cream... and Decoupling!
Some time ago, I was speaking with someone, as well as with others in a gathering, and the complaint was that they felt as though they were living in the Arctic, or in northern Canada or Russia, where the temperature in their homes was freezing.
I learned that the reasons behind this were that family members, especially young people and teenagers, preferred air-conditioning set to as low as 20 degrees Celsius, and this preference was not limited to the summer season but extended to winter as well.
Consequently, older adults are the ones who suffer, enduring freezing temperatures, but what can be done?
For a long time, I had read about multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease prevalent in our region, and I was astonished to learn that this illness was unknown in hot regions, such as ours, forty years ago. It used to appear primarily in cold areas, particularly in northern Canada and elsewhere. However, it emerged in the Gulf region after air-conditioning became widespread in homes, as cold exposure affects the human body over time, particularly the nerves. The disease is not fatal, but it can render a person immobile and cause vision deterioration. Treatment is extremely costly, and it is an autoimmune condition.
If this information is accurate, studies should be conducted to investigate whether the excessive cold generated by air-conditioning units indeed causes this nerve-affecting disease. Such research is necessary to raise awareness.
During that gathering, the issue of excessively cold air-conditioning was discussed. One person mentioned that his wife preferred the cold, while he did not, making it difficult for him to sleep when they shared the same room. Another said his children preferred the cold, forcing him to sit next to a heater even in the height of summer.
We discussed possible solutions to this domestic conflict over temperature settings and concluded that the primary sufferers were older adults, particularly couples. The wife preferred a specific temperature, while the husband disliked the cold, yet they shared the same room. One of us proposed a solution that might be suitable: a policy of spatial separation rather than emotional or spiritual detachment. In this arrangement, each spouse would have their own room, allowing each individual to find comfort, as health conditions become highly variable with age. Other issues were also raised: for instance, the husband wanted to watch a specific program in the bedroom, while the wife disliked the light and could not sleep with the television on; or the husband enjoyed reading, while the wife had no interest in it. Thus, the proposed spatial separation might be acceptable at a more advanced stage of life.
On Google, I found the following statement: “Severe cold may affect multiple sclerosis patients by increasing muscle stiffness, slowing nerve conduction, and causing numbness.”
In general, we cannot definitively confirm the accuracy of information published online. However, could studies be conducted on the effects of excessive cold on our bodies? The aim would be solely to raise awareness.
