I am not someone who normally checks appliances, but after a few groceries spoiled early I put a small thermometer on the middle shelf beside my medication case. I assumed the dial at 4 meant a steady 38°F.
Over 24 hours, it read 43°F most of the time, touched 47°F in the afternoon, and dipped to 39°F overnight. Nothing dramatic, but not what I had pictured when I organized that shelf.
I have started writing down the high and low once a day, the same way I keep a weekly average for my weight. It feels calmer than guessing. I moved the thermometer to a different shelf to see whether the door area is the issue.
For those who monitor this kind of thing: do you keep a thermometer in the fridge all the time, or just check after a power flicker or a warm grocery run? I would rather learn from your routines than overreact to one odd reading.