Effects of Working Jacket with Cooling Fan on Performance and Skin Temperature at the Different Phases of the Menstrual Cycle

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of working jacket with a cooling fan on subjective thermal comfort and skin temperatures at the different phases of the menstrual cycle. The subjects were eleven young females aged between 21 and 23 years old. They were measured skin temperatures, subjective responses and mental performance in the control chamber (28°C, 60%). After the measurement, the subjects moved to the experimental chamber (35°C, 60%), and then worn the cooling jacket (cooling jacket condition) or did not wear it (non-cooling jacket condition). The measurements were performed in the experimental chamber again. Each subject participated in the experiments on follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. The skin temperatures were measured at seven local body parts-forehead, abdomen, forearm, back of hand, anterior thigh, shin, and instep. A visual analog scale was used for measuring subjective thermal comfort. At the luteal phase, the mean skin temperatures of the forehead and the abdomen were significantly lower on the cooling jacket condition than the non-cooling jacket condition. Significantly higher subjective thermal comfort with the cooling jacket was also obtained at the phase. These findings suggested that working jacket with a cooling fan has a superior effect on women at the luteal phase.