I would like to elaborate a bit if I may,
During a shedding cycle and pretty much most of the time- the snake will prefer spending time on the cold side. Their metabolism quickens when their body temperature rises, and so the "hotter" they are, the more quickly they digest, the more oxygen they need and their heart rate accelerates accordingly.
When they get colder, they burn less calories and need less food to sustain themselves. Mostly after feeding they will go to the warm spots, so that their body can digest the food efficiently without it getting rotten in their stomach(which can lead to regurgitation and can even prove fatal)
On the matter of being in shed, I think they prefer being on the cooler side for two prominent reasons, one of which is due to the other:
1- They feel vulnerable, indeed much energy is required to complete a shed cycle. They are also partially blind at this time. The cooler sides are often darker and there are hides in which they simply feel more secure in.
2- Since they hesitate to travel in this time, they need to conserve their energies- a state which they can accomplish by staying cold.
I probably stated the obvious in this by I wasn't sure because there was little reference to the title of the thread itself.
Hope this helped, somehow.
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